Sheritta Bitikofer's Blog, page 9

Something About Sheritta #10

Q: Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

A: I finished reading Jane Eyre a while back, and I think she is my favorite heroine of all time. I read the book a few years ago and I don’t know if I just wasn’t grasping the beautiful language or the way the characters were so well constructed, but reading it for the second time, I was just blown away. Jane is the kind of woman I want to be. She’s meek, humble, has a bit of a temper, but she knows what’s right and wrong. She was able to completely deny herself and her feelings for Rochester by leaving him. But then when Mr. Rivers proposed for vocational reasons, she had enough sense to realize that she wouldn’t be marrying for love and though it made perfect logical sense to marry him, she refused because her heart said it wasn’t right. She’s able to discern who to listen to in certain situations, her head or her heart. And I admire that. Sometimes, I know in my head that something is or isn’t right to feel, but in the moment, it’s difficult to do the right thing. So I end up either a mess worrying about it or make impromptu decisions that should have been handled better. I admire Jane’s character immensely and I wish the author was alive so I could tell her how much reading the book meant to me at the time.

Krystal and Devin’s First Date (Bewitching Brews)

You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging after the last sneak peek into Bewitching Fire, did you? Here’s Krystal and Devin’s first date in Chapter 3. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

On principle, Krystal generally refused to wear black clothes. There was too much hype around witches and the color black, but when Sierra walked into her bedroom with stunning, midnight black dress from her own closet, Krystal could hardly turn her down. She had been going out of her mind trying to find the perfect outfit ever since she came home around four o’clock.

Her own closet was filled with long skirts, loose blouses, and warm sweaters of earth tone shades that were far too casual for a date like this. It was just Mama Pazzini’s, a place she had been going to with her family since she was little, but she wasn’t looking to impress Mr. and Mrs. Pazzini. It was Devin she needed to impress. Though, she had probably done that already.

She stood in front of the full-length mirror and twirled a bit before fingering the lacey, scalloped neckline that came off the shoulders. The long sleeves would ensure she wouldn’t get too cold, but she worried about her legs that were exposed from the knees down. She normally never wore anything with a hem that high.

“Don’t even worry about your knobby knees,” Sierra slated from her open doorway. “It looks great on you.”

After a few magical alterations to the bust and waistline, yes, it did look great. Krystal would have to let it out again when she took it off at the end of the evening. She looked to her older sister who was a hair taller than herself and wondered how this dress was supposed to look on her.

“It’s not too suggestive, is it?” Krystal winced, pinching at the hemline.

“Honey, even if it is, would that be such a bad thing?”

Krystal let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t even know.”

Sierra flipped her wavy, chestnut brown hair over her shoulder and leaned against the doorframe. “You said this guy was hot, so what’s the problem?”

“Sierra,” Krystal said, walking barefoot across the hardwood floor. “I know plenty about magic and making coffee, but I don’t know the first thing about men. I haven’t gone on a date in like, four years and mom set me up for that one.”

Her older sister grimaced. “Yeah, but that warlock wasn’t exactly a good match for you. It sounds like you and Devin have some real chemistry.”

Krystal retreated to her closet to try and find a suitable pair of shoes to wear with the dress. There was no way she was going to walk all the way to Mama Pazzini’s in high heels like Sierra had suggested earlier. “Well, maybe,” she said as she knelt down to pull out several shoeboxes. “But, I don’t know a whole lot about him. What if he got fired from his job in Boston because he did something really bad, like killed a guy that didn’t need to be killed or something?”

Sierra entered the bedroom and sat down heavily on the four-poster bed, making the old plush mattress bob under her weight. “If he did something like that, Chief Nickels would have never hired him.”

She cracked open the lid of a big shoebox to check the contents, then shoved it aside. “What if he’s got some weird fetishes or dark secret that’s a total turnoff?”

“Like being magic folk?”

Krystal shot her sister an annoyed look and continued searching. “Well, I know he’s not a warlock, that’s for sure.”

“Werewolf?”

She snorted. “No.”

“What about a golem?” Sierra questioned.

“Nope.” Krystal peeked into the last box and found the black felt boots she had been looking for.

“Then, seriously, what kind of dark secret could he possibly have? We’ve ruled out the worst scenarios.”

Krystal shrugged, and she could feel the lacey fabric scratch her skin. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s just got hobbies or interests that just don’t appeal to me? What if we have nothing in common?”

Sierra let out a dramatic sigh and rolled her dark eyes heavenward. “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?” she asked as she rolled up her socks and slipped on the boots.

“You’re looking for an excuse to get out of this date so you can stay miserable and alone.”

“But, I’m not miserable and alone,” Krystal argued as she stood and checked out the combination in the mirror. “Do you think these fabrics clash?”

Sierra didn’t even bother looking. “Yes, they do. And you are miserable and alone. All you ever do is work and get up at an ungodly hour in the morning so you can work even more.”

Krystal frowned at the shoes she had on, then to the other shoes that didn’t really fit for the occasion. “Owning your own business takes work, you know that.”

Sierra wrapped her hand around one of the tall posts on the footboard. “I’m not doing a whole lot of work and I’m still making a profit.”

“That’s because you have other stylists renting out space in your salon. If I can’t find any shoes,

I’m not going.”

Sierra pointed accusingly at her. “See! You’re doing it again. Here.” She redirected her finger down to Krystal’s boots and muttered a few words in the ancient Celtic tongue. Slowly, the felt material turned hard, rigid, and shiny. “Leather goes with everything.”

She took another look in the mirror and nodded. “Much better. What time is it?”

Sierra fished out her phone from her back pocket. “A quarter until six.”

“Shit!” Krystal exclaimed before darting out of the bedroom. “I’m already late. It’s going to take me at least twenty minutes to get there.”

The flat soles of her boots made her slide across the upstairs hall as she scampered to the steps.

“So what if you’re five minutes late!” Sierra called out as she hurried to catch up. She had already dressed down into her pajamas for the evening and wore a pair of wool socks that were equally slippery across the floor. “Live recklessly!”

“I don’t want to make him think I’m careless,” Krystal complained as she bounded down the steps, nearly tripping over Artemis who looked utterly confused by the ruckus.

Sierra laughed. “No one could ever mistake you as careless.”

Krystal snorted as she grabbed her purse, which completely clashed with her outfit. Made out of patches of dark, patterned fabric scraps, it usually fit well with her somewhat earthy sense of style. With this dress, it stuck out like a sore thumb, but there was no time to switch contents from this purse to another.

“If you saw me today, you would second guess that.”

Her sister caught up with her in the foyer and held her hand to her chest, feigning shock. “You?

Careless? I don’t believe it.”

Krystal nodded and told her about how Devin pulled her over and she didn’t even have her driver’s license on her. She was usually never so forgetful. On that note, she made triple sure that her wallet and license were tucked away in her purse, just in case he actually asked for it.

“Not only that, but I kept messing up today when I was giving people their change. I even got an order wrong.”

“Gaia forbid!” Sierra exclaimed, here eyes wide.

She had been living with her sister long enough that she knew Sierra was just making a show for her. “I swear, Devin is messing me up. Badly.”

Sierra opened one of the front doors for her. “Well, maybe this is your chance to demystify him. Maybe he’ll turn out exactly as you predict, and he’s got some skeletons in his closet.”

Deep down, Krystal hoped that he didn’t. She desperately wanted him to be the real deal, someone she could really like and maybe this date would just be the first of many. Devin had been so amazing and sexy up until now and she didn’t want anything to taint that perfect image.

But, she had to know if he was too good to be true. Maybe that was why she agreed to the date in the first place. She had to know about those skeletons in his closet and if they were worth overlooking for the sake of having her first real boyfriend since high school.

“Whatever you do,” Sierra continued, “don’t tell him you’re a witch.”

Krystal gave her a look. “You seriously think you have to tell me that?”

She shrugged, the collar of her oversized shirt sliding off her shoulder. “Hey, if you say this guy is messing you up that bad, maybe you’d talk a little more than you should.”

At this point, that sounded like a complete possibility. “Do you think we need to do a secrecy charm?”

Sierra seemed to think about it for a moment. “Do you?”

The two sisters stared at one another for a long moment. Secrecy charms weren’t hard, but it also meant that it would limit Krystal’s openness during dinner. It wouldn’t just block her from talking about witches, but everything else about her that Devin didn’t already know, which was practically everything. She wouldn’t be able to talk about her family, her interests, not even Artemis.

“No,” Krystal answered with a confirming nod as she took down her long coat from the hall butler hook. “Everything will be fine… Right?”

Sierra returned the nod. “Right… One more thing.” Her sister reached behind Krystal’s head and slowly pulled out the hair tie. Her black hair tumbled down around her bare shoulders, the tips nearly disappearing against the black lace and fabric. “There. Much better.”

Though she really didn’t have time, Krystal hurried toward the hall mirror and primped her hair a little before rushing out the door. “Don’t wait up for me.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

***

Devin checked his phone one more time. He shouldn’t have been so jumpy. It was only a couple of minutes past six. The moment he and Aaron drove away from Krystal’s car, he knew he had made a grave mistake. Not in asking her out on a date, but in the way he did it. Going over the conversation in his head later, it nearly sounded like blackmail or bribery.

He didn’t tell Aaron about that part, though. He only said he made the date and let her go with a warning. Devin had taken a stab at power flirting a little too eagerly and with Krystal being late, he wondered if he might have scared her off.

Heaven knows he’d deserve it.

He wondered how many people inside the tiny restaurant could see him standing on the sidewalk, a single rose in his hand, watching the darkened streets for any sign of his date. He didn’t know if she drove a car, or if she’d come walking in from one of the residential streets that came to Johnson Avenue. The thought occurred to him that he should have offered to pick her up.

Why was he so damn nervous? This wasn’t his first date and Krystal wasn’t the first girl he had ever asked out. He had plenty of dates before, and a girlfriend here and there when he lived in Boston.

None of them were serious relationships, though. And none of them were like Krystal.

He didn’t even know that much about her, but she had already made such an impression on him that it was borderline enchantment. Krystal was insightful, real, beautiful, and any woman who had the guts to start a business and keep it so successful had to be determined and strongminded. She was nothing like the flitty airheads in Boston that just wanted to date a cop. Most couldn’t handle being tethered to his kind of work anyway, but maybe Krystal could.

He spotted her coming from Kellie Drive, her long coat wrapped around her thin frame and purse slapping against her hip as she hustled down the sidewalk. Devin caught himself smiling at the way she looked both ways down the practically lifeless avenue and then hurried toward him. He saw the way her long black hair bounced and swayed around her shoulders, the light of the streetlamps gleaming against it to reflect that healthy shine.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said breathlessly as she came bounding down the sidewalk. “I was having the hardest time finding shoes that would match and – “

Her gaze trailed down to the rose in his hand and he realized he had been staring. Again. Devin offered it to her. “This is for you,” he said, feeling slightly awkward about it. Not even on the second date, did he give a girl flowers. He usually reserved those for gift giving holidays like birthdays or Valentine’s Day. It was an easy go-to gift, but Devin knew he couldn’t be generic with Krystal. Nothing about her was generic. Even a bouquet of roses might have been more appropriate, but she seemed like a minimalist, so he decided to get one instead.

Why the hell would he try to be so thoughtful? Why was he trying so damn hard?

Krystal didn’t smile, nor did she accept it right away. Her hand reached out and pinched the stem. “Can I be completely honest with you?”

Devin’s heart sank into his shoes. What did he do wrong? “Please,” he replied with a ghost of a laugh.

“I’m not really one for flowers,” she said. “I mean, I like them and all, but I hate cutting them. I’d much prefer them to stay alive and cutting them just expedites death, you know?” Regardless, she took the rose and smelled the petals. “It is a lovely rose, though. Thank you.”

Devin let out a slow breath. “If we can both be candid, what should I get you next time?”

A soft smile graced her lips. “If there is a next time, you can just get me chocolates, or maybe seeds.”

“Like sunflower seeds?”

She shook her head. “No, sunflowers are so hard to grow.”

It then occurred to him that she meant seeds that she could plant, not eat. “So, you like to garden?”

A tiny sparkle of enthusiasm came to her warm brown eyes and Devin heart might have skipped a beat. “Absolutely. My sister and I have a big garden in our backyard. We grow all sorts of vegetables and flowers.”

“But, you never cut them. The flowers, I mean.”

Krystal glanced down to the rose in her hand. “Right. We eat the vegetables, obviously, but we prefer to just admire the flowers.”

They weren’t even seated at the dinner table yet and he was learning so much about her already. Yeah, he had screwed up and thought she would be like any conventional woman. She didn’t appreciate the flower as he had hoped, but at least she was honest and chose not to resent him for it.

What girl would have such patience with him?

“Oh, before I forget,” Krystal said as she opened up her rather large and eclectic looking purse.

She retrieved her wallet and Devin immediately waved her off.

“No, no. I was just giving you a hard time about the license. It’s all right.”

Krystal shot him a fiendish look and stuffed it back into the open compartment of her purse.

“You really freaked me out about that,” she scolded playfully. “I’ve never gotten a ticket in my life.”

“Well, I’m sorry I freaked you out. I was just messing around. At least I can make up for it with dinner, right?”

Krystal looked to Mama Pazzini’s and blinked as if she remembered they did have a dinner engagement. “Right, yeah. You ready to go in?”

In all truth, Devin was content to stand with her in the cold all night, talking about gardening and whatever other secret, eccentric hobbies she might have. But, he was hungry, and the garlic bread smelled way too good to ignore.

He led her to the front door and opened it, letting the warm, garlic-infused air out to greet them. Soft violin music played over the hidden speakers, nearly drowned out by the low roar of conversation coming from the couples and families already seated.

A young lady, probably fresh out of high school with big blue eyes and pinned up blonde hair, came to them and picked up the menus and silverware packets from the hostess desk.

“Hey, Krystal!” she greeted with a grin. “How are you?”

The hostess came forward and gave his date a quick, but sincere hug.

“I’m great, Tammi. How’s that thesis paper coming?”

The girl, Tammi, rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s coming. Just working on getting my sources right. If only the professor would allow Wikipedia as a valid reference.”

Krystal laughed. “I know, I hated that too. I’m sure you’ll get it figured out.”

“Thanks.” It was then Tammi finally acknowledged Devin. “Table for two, then?”

“Yes, please,” he replied with a nod. He already spotted a booth near the corner and hoped they would be seated there.

No such luck. Tammi led them to a little table near the middle of the dining hall. He hadn’t been in the restaurant for more than two minutes and he had already picked out the nearest exits, the hall that led to the bathroom, and the swinging doors into the kitchen.

No matter which side of the table he sat at, he couldn’t keep an eye on every door. So, he picked the lesser of two evils and tossed his jacket over the back of the chair that faced the front door. Tammi placed their menus down, informed them that their waitress would be over shortly, and left to seat another family of four that just came in.

Krystal was about to sit down, but Devin moved too quickly.

“May I?” he said, gesturing to her coat that was still concealing whatever outfit she had decided to wear for the evening. He had seen the way she appraised him after he shed his own jacket and it was unfair that he hadn’t gotten to see what was under her coat too.

She nodded, and he gently took the collar between his hands to slip the coat off. Suddenly, he felt severely underdressed. He had looked up the restaurant online and thought it was casual enough for a blue button-down shirt tucked into a pair of dark jeans.

The black dress she wore with the long, off-shoulder sleeves was far more formal, but he absolutely loved the way the fabric clung to her skin and showed off that thin, but curvy figure. One thing he did notice was the black tattoo on her shoulder. Simple enough, it looked like a crescent moon with three teardrops dripping from its bottom outer curve.

Devin hung the coat over the back of her chair and pulled it out for her to sit. “Quite the gentleman, you are,” she teased with a simpering grin.

“I try. Nice tattoo.”

As if she had forgotten it was there, she glanced over her right shoulder where it was just barely visible above the scalloped edge of the dress. “Oh, thanks. It’s a matching tattoo I got with Alexa and

Valerie as soon as we turned eighteen.”

“Does it mean anything?” he asked as he sat down next to her.

Krystal shrugged. “It’s just an inside thing between us.”

He smiled. “Like a secret handshake between friends?”

“Something like that.”

He watched out of his peripheral as Tammi gave the family of four the booth setup he had coveted when they walked in. It would have served as an excellent vantage point to watch the room. If only he could stop being a cop for just a few minutes, so he could enjoy this date.

A couple of seconds later, a young man, probably closer to their age compared to the waitress, came over wearing the typical uniform of the wait staff.

“Hey, Krystal!” he said, placing his hand on the back of her chair. “How are you this evening?”

Something in the way he looked at her, though friendly enough, set off red flags in Devin’s mind. Is this waiter just an old friend or something more? He mentally shook off the pang of jealousy. He had no reason to be jealous. Not yet, anyway. This was only their first date.

“I’m doing fine, Mark. How’s Kathy and the baby?”

Devin breathed a little easier as he glanced down to the back of the menu for the drink selections, knowing Mark would be asking about those soon.

“They’re doing great. The doctor had some good things to report during our last appointment, so we think we’re in the clear now.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” Krystal said, and he could nearly taste the compassion in her words.

“What can I get you two to drink?” the waiter finally asked. “Wine, beer, soda?”

Devin looked up to Krystal and opened his mouth to ask if she’d mind sharing a bottle of wine, but she was already telling Mark that she just wanted a glass of water.

“And for you, sir?”

It was a strange feeling, to be the one that no one knew. It was as if Krystal was the rock star of the town and he was just another guy with her, no one important or worth getting a name from. For the moment, he pushed his pride aside and ordered water as well.

Mark nodded and hurried away to get their drinks.

“You seem to know a lot of people in this town,” he remarked.

Krystal nodded as she looked over the menu. “Yeah, it’s kind of hard not to get to know everyone when all of them have passed through the coffee shop at least twice. I’m sure you’ll get to know everyone too, after a while.”

He was fairly confident of that, but how long would it take before waiters and hostesses knew his name by heart? “Have you lived in Goldcrest Cove for long?”

“All my life,” she said with pride. “My ancestors were some of the founding members of the town.”

“Not many people can say that.”

She shrugged, as if it wasn’t that big of a deal. To him, it was a big deal. He wanted to know everything about her, from her childhood memories to her fears and everything in between. Why did he care so much? This went way beyond sexual attraction and skyrocketed him straight into obsession, but it just seemed so right to feel this way about her.

“What about you?” she asked, breaking through his stupor. He had been watching her for the better part of a few minutes instead of picking out what he wanted to eat for dinner. “Were you born and raised in Boston?”

Mark came to the table and dropped their drinks off before Devin could answer. As soon as they were alone again, he replied, “I was born in Worchester, but my dad moved us to Boston for his job when I was a kid.”

“And you lived there ever since?” she asked before taking a sip of her water. Devin unconsciously copied her and took a swig himself.

“Up until a couple of weeks ago when I moved here.”

“So, Boston’s been the only home you’ve ever really known.” There wasn’t necessarily a question there, but Devin felt he needed to correct her.

“I never tried to attach myself to the idea of ‘home’. Boston was great, don’t get me wrong, but it was just a place I lived for a long time.”

Krystal frowned. “Sounds like something a military kid would say, not a cop.”

Devin had to admit that it did. It sounded insanely cynical, but she didn’t know the kind of “home” he grew up in. Without understanding why, he decided to tell her. “When I was growing up, home wasn’t exactly home. It wasn’t a great place to be. My mom died when I was too young to really remember her, and my dad didn’t win any parenting awards.”

A few beats of silence passed between them and Krystal cast her gaze down to the table. “I’m sorry to hear that.” She looked back up to him. “You still turned out to be a pretty decent guy from what

I can tell. I mean, you’re a cop, so something must have gone right.”

It did. Devin’s father showed him that someone needed to defend the underdog, the powerless, the weak. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be that defender. He wanted to be there for the ones who had no voice, who might have felt that they didn’t have any choices in life. He had been there.

He knew what it was like.

“I became a cop because I wanted to help people,” Devin said as he lightly gripped the water glass, letting the cool condensation wet his fingertips. “I know it sounds pretty corny, but I knew I wanted to be a cop since the day the chief of police of Boston came into my third grade class to talk about his job and what the department does to keep the city safe. My life kind of revolved around that goal. I went to police academy and jumped straight onto the force when I graduated.”

Krystal leaned her elbows on the table and he watched the way the light from the votive candle centerpiece flickered across the smooth skin of her shoulders and neck. “I don’t think that’s corny at all.

It’s an admirable dream and I’d say you’ve achieved it.”

He smiled through the hurtful memories that had resurfaced and nodded. “Thank you. What about you? Did you always want to own a coffee shop?” If they could avoid talking too much about him this evening, it might actually go well.

Krystal leaned back and giggled. “No, not always.” Her eyes flitted to something behind him and he knew Mark must have been making his way back to the table.

“Have you two decided?” the waiter asked as he pulled out the notepad from his apron pocket.

Krystal’s eyes shifted between Devin and the menu, and it was clear she hadn’t been thinking about food either. “Oh, uh… Just a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce.”

Devin quickly looked down to his menu and randomly picked one. “I’ll have the lasagna.” “Excellent choices.” Mark took the menus away and they were alone again.

“The lasagna is really good,” Krystal said. “Mrs. Pazzini has this special recipe for the sauce that I can never figure out. You’ll like it.”

Devin leaned forward and crossed his arms over the table. “I’m sure I will. Now, back to my question.”

Krystal blinked. “What question?”

Was she just trying to dance around him, or did she really forget? “The coffee shop?”

“Oh, that. It was just something I thought of in high school. I told my friends about it and they were game, so we just worked hard at making it a reality.”

Devin’s eyes narrowed. “Right, but what started it? I mean, what was your motive? Do you love coffee that much?”

Krystal pursed her lips in thought. Such beautiful lips.

“We all loved coffee and we saw a need in the community. I remember there was a coffee shop near the grocery store, but it didn’t do so well and closed down when I was a freshman in high school.”

“So, you just saw a need and decided to do something about it?” he asked, taking another gulp of cool water.

She nodded. “Pretty much.”

“How did your family feel about you starting your own business like that?”

Devin could recall the very day he told his dad that he was planning on entering the police academy. He laughed and said he’d never make ends meet. Cops didn’t get paid nearly enough for the kind of hell they went through. He had been right, but Devin wasn’t about to let him win. If anything, his rebuke propelled him forward to do even better, to earn high commendations, and prove him wrong.

A sort of wistful look twinkled in Krystal’s eyes at the mention of her family. “My parents have been really supportive. They probably would have wanted me to go into the family business, but my sister followed my lead and she’s got her own salon on Johnson Avenue too. My mom says she brags about us to their friends in New York, but we don’t get to talk to dad that much. He’s always busy with his work.”

“And what’s that?”

There was a hesitance in Krystal, just like when he tried to revert the conversation back to her.

“What’s what?”

Devin smiled, and he could see the faint color rising to her cheeks. He loved it when she blushed. “What does your dad do for work?” he asked slowly.

“Oh,” she breathed. “He’s… sort of like a people manager for a big company. He took over when my grandfather passed away. That’s the family business I mentioned. It’s this nationwide conglomerate, I guess. It’s hard to explain.”

Devin stared, studying the way she anxiously fingered her drinking glass the way he had just a moment ago. There was something she wasn’t telling him, and he could feel his guts twist. It wasn’t a lie. He knew the exact moment when he was being lied to, but what she spoke were half-truths.

Maybe there was something about her father’s work that she didn’t want him to know? Krystal understood that he appreciated honesty above all else. She knew that since the moment he ordered black coffee that morning.

Instead of interrogating her like he would a suspect, he let it drop for now. “Fair enough. I hope one day, you’ll be able to tell me all about it.” Krystal nodded. “I’m sure I will.”

Werewolves Down Under

The eighth book of the Legacy Series is finally coming!

This one was incredibly difficult to write. Not only because of the pure emotional context of the story, but also because of the sheer amount of research that was needed for me to understand the setting, people, and history. Australia has a relatively short civilized history and I could probably tell you just about anything regarding the first three or four years of the settlement at Sydney. Yes, it was a penal colony for England, which made it fraught with violence, lawlessness, and danger. Perfect place for a werewolf! My research was eye-opening and insanely interesting. Most people may not think that reading historical accounts is terribly interesting, but it was for me. And I hope I’ve done both the country and its people justice with my little historical novella.

Preorder is up and release is set for June 22nd!

Get it on Amazon

[image error]Australia – 1791

Geoffrey and Adam Swenson are imprisoned on a ship, bound for Australia – then known as New Holland – under bogus criminal charges pressed against them in England. After they escape and flee from the budding settlement of New South Wales, they find that they are not the only werewolves on this strange and dangerous new continent. In desperate need to return home, they must align themselves with unlikely allies and set aside old grudges if they ever expect to survive.

The elements, the Aborigines, and the loose laws set down in the penal colony of Sydney all work against them. Death lurks behind every corner and even though a new ally appears, both are hesitant to trust a man who has already shown himself to be a flight risk in the past. But all Alfred Swenson wants is a chance at reconciliation with his family after being absent from their lives for over four hundred years.

 

Something About Sheritta #9

Q: Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

A: Normally, I try not to base characters off of real people. It gets a little messy if that person ends up reading the book and realizing they’ve been plagiarized. However, I will confess that several characters in my Loup-Garou Series were based on actual people in name and profession ONLY. The three teachers that Katey feels attached to in The Enigma, who become major players throughout the series and also the Legacy Series, were based on three teachers I had in my freshmen year of high school. They were immensely influential in many ways and I liked them all for different reasons, which comes out in Katey’s reactions to them. Although I’m sure none of them will ever read the series, I would hope they know that it was meant as a token of my appreciation and they they’re flattered rather than offended that I used their names. Everything else, except maybe their appearances, is completely fictitious.

Apart from that, normally the characters I create are a melding of different people, including myself. I think all authors put a bit of their own soul into every story and every character. Maybe not as a whole, but in quirks and mannerisms. I comb my fingers through my hair a lot, so one may read about a heroine doing that when she’s nervous or agitated. Just as an example. A lot of my husband shows up in my characters as well. Whenever a male characters is being a little goofy or he says something romantic, chances are that my husband has done those things already.

A Prime Alpha’s Dilemma

Here’s chapter 3 of my most recent paranormal romance I’ve entitled “Howls in the Night”. If you remember from a past blog, Erica and Dominic met in his antique shop and he gave her a special gift. This is the aftermath of that act of generosity, and it tells a little more about Dominic as the Prime Alpha wolf shifter of Tolstone.

Chapter 3

As Dominic locked up the shop, he cursed himself for his behavior again. Not only did he just give away a valuable piece of merchandise, but hindsight allowed him to see that he had been blatantly flirting with a customer. He wanted to justify his actions. He wanted to make some excuse that the way she looked at him with those mystifying hazel eyes made him lose his mind. The way she walked into his shop, bringing with her that presence that drove him wild and calmed him all at the same time both confused and startled him.

She did all those things and so much more, but no amount of logic could save him from kicking himself ever since she turned the corner and walked away. Erica Barrett was a breath of fresh air and quite possibly the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. The way the sunset brought out the fine, natural golden highlights in her chestnut braid that hung over her shoulder, the way she smiled to reveal the cutest pair of dimples in Tolstone, how her clothes hung in just the right way over her curves to make him want to reach out and grab her about the waist.

Oh, how he wished there weren’t rules to dictate what he could and could not do with a perfect stranger. He would have broken every one of them if he thought he could. He had never felt this drawn to any woman before, so curious to know more about her and who she was. Maybe it was the stress getting to him. He was under so much pressure that it was liable to break him like this.

Dominic pulled on the door handle to make sure it was firmly locked and turned toward Second Avenue, almost following in Erica’s footsteps. He passed by the display window where the Rolleiflex used to be. It had been a gift to his grandfather from a German alpha that took refuge in Tolstone after moving his pack to the states to escape the chaos of World War II. His father hated to put it up for sale after his grandfather passed, and so did Dominic, but realistically he wouldn’t have used it for anything. He didn’t even have any film, but something told him that he had sold it to a worthy customer.

Erica blew him away with her knowledge of the camera’s history and if he hadn’t been swept off his feet by that quiet strength she seemed to exude, then her little recitation would have surely done it. There were few within his pack who appreciated history as much as Dominic, and to find someone else who took the time to study something restored his faith in humanity – just a little.

It was likely they would meet again, especially if she had just moved to Tolstone. Cole and Hank had told him someone new was coming into town today, but he didn’t expect it to be a woman with so much fire behind her eyes.

He had been taught that women were meant to be taken care of. They needed husbands, fathers, brothers, or alphas to look after them and ensure that they were safe at all times. Dominic was trained up in the gentlemanly fashion by his father, who was educated by his father before him. The former Prime Alpha of Tolstone must have been rolling in his grave the way Dominic didn’t offer to walk Erica home, but there was more to consider.

If he had taken Erica home, it was likely that he wouldn’t have left. Dominic was also taught how to read and interpret body language. He could look at the simple way a person stood and understand their intentions. It was a useful skill for what he had to do every day with the packs that took refuge in Tolstone. And if Dominic was as versed as he believed himself to be, this attraction was not one sided. Erica might have invited him in for coffee, he would graciously accept, one thing would lead to another and…

Dominic felt his jeans tighten at the thought of it as he shoved his hands deeper into his jacket pockets. No, he couldn’t have that. This was just as phase. A burning curiosity over someone he hadn’t met before. It didn’t happen often. Actually, it never happened at all. There was something about Erica that fascinated him, but there was nothing in her conversation that would have instigated such desires. They were polite, professional, and the meeting was too brief. Far too brief.

The sun was gone now, completely submerged below the horizon and the moon was just barely visible through the treetops. The silver glow reflected off the grainy blacktop as the live oak branches swayed above him. A dog barked in the distance and he could keenly hear families sitting down to their evening meal behind closed doors.

It was a night like any other, a typical walk back home, but something seemed so different. Scents were stronger, sounds seemed louder, and even the muted colors of coming night seemed to stand out in his keen vision.

It wasn’t until Fox Way, just a block away from Crescent Lane at the corner of Prince Cutoff, that Dominic realized he hadn’t even been thinking about the way home. His feet just kept moving, following his nose. And his nose was following Erica.

Dominic slowed his steps as he tried to rid his mind of her for the dozenth time in the short hour since they met. He ran his fingers through his hair.

“Come on, Dom,” he whispered to himself. “Get a grip.”

It was something his father had said to him so often when he was being an unreasonable child or recalcitrant pupil, which was the majority of the time. Every time he rolled his eyes during a lecture, every time he was caught running off with the other boys when he should have been home or at the antique shop. He could almost hear his father’s voice still rumbling in his ear, telling him to forget about the girl. But he couldn’t.

His mind played back their conversation and his lungs seized in his chest. He had to know her. He just had to.

With renewed purpose, he strode faster toward Crescent Lane, but the lingering trail of vanilla perfume – Erica’s perfume – haunted him with every step. When he turned the corner, he saw his home on the far side of the street and let out a breath, knowing once he was inside, he could distract himself and cure this curiosity with a good night’s sleep.

But a sight made him stop dead in his tracks. The house beside him, the old Donaldson place, was not vacant. Its once darkened windows came alive, light cascading through the glass for the first time in a year. Hank hadn’t told him that the new arrival would be taking up the house next to him. That’s something he should have been informed of and his beta would receive the scolding of his life for not mentioning such an important detail.

But more than that, he realized where Erica’s trail final ended.

In his pockets, Dominic’s hands tightened into fists as he stared up at the newly occupied home. Her black jeep sat on the curb, an empty U-Haul parked just at its tailgate. She must have arrived that morning, which would have explained why she had takeout from Gwen and Jaime’s restaurant. It was unlikely she had everything unpacked yet.

If he listened close enough, he could hear the sharp slap of bare feet on the wood floors and the hiss of cardboard boxes being moved and opened.

His home was no longer a safe refuge. He’d be up all night, listening to her roam about the house and wonder which room she was in and what she was unpacking. He shouldn’t daydream about what she wore when she slid between the covers once the lights were out. He shouldn’t have wanted to know if she had a bedtime routine. Dominic shouldn’t have cared. But she was such a pleasant, delicious distraction from other things that should have occupied his mind.

Even his wolf wanted to walk up to her door and offer to help her get settled in. He couldn’t allow himself to be so stupid. His inner beast, the one he had been born with, liked her like a dependent puppy that wanted her affection. Such a feeling was rare. His wolf barely liked anyone, even Hank or any of the other alphas, and would often urge him to growl or snap at any other werewolf who intruded upon his space. But with Erica, he wanted more of her and that small taste he received in the shop wasn’t enough.

Dominic’s lips tightened into a grim line as he started back down the street, walking as far from Erica’s property as possible before turning to his walkway. He had to clear his head and in his experience, there was only one way to do that.

Once inside, he hurried up his stairs and to the massive grand bedroom. Under his poster bed, he grabbed the duffle bag that was already packed with a spare change of clothes, a stick of deodorant, baby wipes for wiping off dirt and mud, and a bath towel. All the things he would need for a night running as a wolf outside of town. He knew, once the wind was in his bristling fur coat and the soft earth sank between the pads on his paws, he’d forget about Erica, if just for a moment. Maybe then, he could recover from their first meeting and come to his sense.

He raced out of the house, locked the door behind him, ignored his silver Toyota Tacoma parked on the curbside, and set off for Highland Road that led straight north toward Larson Caves Park. It was a safe place to run, monitored by a member of his own pack who ensured that no campers or tourists would wander down paths segregated for all the werewolves and shifters who came to Tolstone. He could go there, far out of range from Erica’s scent and all that was now connected to her memory.

Just when the strong vanilla was fading, Dominic heard the familiar growl of a vehicle he knew well. He didn’t have to turn to see Cole Spradley’s police squad car roll up beside him, keeping up with Dominic’s long, determined strides.

The whirl of mechanics told him the passenger side window rolled down and the stout smell of a warm car interior and subtle scent of chilidogs wafted out.

“Where ya headed?” Cole called from the driver’s side.

Dominic looked over and met the sheriff’s dark eyes.

Cole, along with Hank, had been an invaluable asset in training Dominic to take on his role as Prime Alpha. As an alpha himself, he knew a thing or two about how to best protect a pack in danger. His own pack had survived a hunter epidemic almost twenty-five years ago. Dominic remembered those months when Tolstone was flooded with imperiled packs and his father had to make tough choices. Cole and his pack of three were permitted to seek refuge, but, from what he remembered, at a steep cost. The pack never left, which was unheard of, but Cole proved himself to be useful in helping to enforce order in Tolstone, so he was permitted to stay.

“Larson Caves,” he replied shortly.

He heard the click as Cole unlocked the car doors. “Hop in. I’ll give you a lift.”

Dominic wasn’t expecting that. He almost tripped to a stop and the squad car screeched to a halt. Cole’s brakes were in desperate need of replacing. The passenger door flew open and Dominic was too stunned to refuse.

Hank would have told him that running off to Larson Caves alone was a dumbass move in itself. He’d be away from his phone, out in the open, and though the park was secluded enough for a shifter, it was too secluded for a Prime Alpha unaccompanied by his pack. If an incident like last night with Madison happened again, no one would have been able to reach Dominic. And Dominic always had to be available.

But Cole didn’t seem to mind and was even encouraging his young Prime Alpha to go. Dominic buckled himself in and saw the discarded chilidog wrapper on the floorboard at his feet. Cole sped away down Highland Road and turned off onto the County Highway that led toward Larson Caves.

“Rough day?” Cole asked, the blue lights of the dashboard reflecting on his face. The alpha was old enough to be Dominic’s father and the touch of gray around his temples and in the stumble on his chin showed his age. Maybe that was why he was a little more lenient than Hank, who was a good decade younger and seemed to always have a stick up his ass.

Dominic adjusted the duffle bag in his lap and sighed. “Rough week,” he replied.

“I heard about what happened with Madison last night,” he said. “And you still want to go running? You should be resting.”

He couldn’t speak a word about why he really wanted to go to Larson Caves. A good night running around would certainly release a fraction of the pressure he was under, but his reasons were far deeper and more complex than that. Thinking of Erica in that moment reminded him of Cole’s negligence. Along with Hank, Cole played a major role in keeping Dominic informed about new developments in Tolstone.

“Why didn’t you tell me the new human was taking the Donaldson house next to mine?”

Cole glanced at him as a car passed them in the opposite lane. “I thought Hank would have told you that.”

Dominic glared out the windshield. “He didn’t.”

“Well, now you know,” Cole replied with a humored lilt to his voice. He didn’t have to look to know the cop was smiling. “Do you at least know who it is? Hank didn’t give me much to go on, though I’m sure I can send Ronan out to take a look.”

“No,” Dominic barked. Just the thought of sending Cole’s deputy out to bother Erica set him on edge and he wasn’t sure why. Ronan was trustworthy, but having the tattooed police officer show up on her doorstep was not the way to welcome her to Tolstone. “I’ve… I’ve met her.”

He hated the self-conscious way the words seemed to stutter out. Once more, his father’s ghost harped in his ear about being confident and sure of himself, especially speaking with another alpha.

“Oh? And what’s she like?” Cole didn’t seem bothered, but intrigued. Dominic didn’t know whether to appreciate this moment of candidness or let his wolf come out and tell Cole that it was none of his business who the girl was.

“Fine, I guess,” he replied with a shrug as he scratched his thumbnail against the nylon strap on his bag. “She came into the shop just before closing and bought the Rolleiflex in the window.”

He didn’t see the wisdom in telling Cole that he just gave it away. That would raise even further suspicion. He never just handed off an antique to anyone.

The sheriff chuckled. “That old thing? I’m surprised. Your father told me it didn’t have any film.”

“It doesn’t, but she seems to know a thing or two about cameras. She’ll probably buy some film from online or something.”

The squad car slowed as it turned off the highway. His headlights illuminated the sign that read “Larson Caves Park” in gold lettering, with a giant arrow pointing down the dirt road. Trees closed in the dirt trail that rocked the squad car. Cole also needed his suspension replaced.

“Do you think she’ll fix up the place?” the sheriff asked.

From what he could assess of Erica’s character, he wasn’t quite sure. Repairmen and inspectors would have made the house habitable per the occupancy codes, so the hardest work was already done. But he wondered how she would manage mowing the lawn and trimming the overgrown gardenia bushes around the porch.

An image formed in his mind of Erica laboring in the yard, a pair of shorts showing off her shapely legs and a white t-shirt drenched in her sweat. Her long brown hair was pulled back, but a few flyaway strands escaped out of her ponytail and stuck to her damp face. Dominic imagined her pushing a lawnmower, panting and working that perfect body of hers. He cut himself off when the fantasy produced a water bottle and Erica taking a long drink.

He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat as if that would make his boner go away. “I don’t know,” he replied a second or two too late. “We didn’t talk about the house at all.”

“What did you talk about?”

Dominic could feel Cole’s curious gaze pin him in the chair and that’s when his wolf took over to compensate for his vulnerability. “Nothing of consequence. You can just let me out here.”

Cole obeyed and eased the squad car to a stop. The path was just wide enough that he could open the door without hitting a tree. Dominic had to restrain himself from opened the door too fast or slamming it on the way out.

The heady scent of grasses, tree bark, and the residual trails of other forest creatures that snaked through the thicket wrapped around his mind, inviting him to strip right there and run. He could never forsake the company of these pines, spruces, and dogwoods. Not after all they shared. The park wasn’t just a place to run as a wolf, but a second home, a refuge within a refuge since he was a teenager and just getting the hang of his shifting abilities. His father hated when he went to run without permission.

“Are you going to be good for the alpha meeting tomorrow night?” Cole asked before Dominic had a chance to make his final retreat.

Even here in this wilderness, he wouldn’t be allowed to forget his new responsibilities. He let out a heavy sigh and nodded without looking back to the car. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

The alpha meeting came bi-monthly and served as a time for all the alphas and betas of the packs that were currently in Tolstone to meet and talk. Alphas who were visiting were to give their progress report on how soon they could leave, and it was Dominic’s job to tell them of any new happenings in the town that they needed to be aware of.

With the recent departure of one pack, Hank and Cole would be giving their reports on what addresses were now available, what jobs were left open, and any new applicants that were up for consideration. The whole meeting usually took hours and was held at the antique shop’s upstairs apartment just after closing. After two nights of running on fumes, Dominic was tempted to keep the store closed for the whole day and stay home to recover.

That wouldn’t have worked because Erica would most likely still be next door and getting settled into her new home. Her presence would distract him from any possible sleep he could get. Maybe he could go to the shop, but keep it closed so he could take a nap or two. No doubt Hank would keep his phone ringing, though.

Dominic suddenly felt trapped and his wolf clawed for release.

“If you’re not feeling up to it, you know you don’t have to be there.”

Cole’s assurance was laughable. He could never get away with missing an alpha meeting. His father never did, and everyone expected him to run Tolstone in the same way. Hank would drag him kicking and screaming to the meeting if he tried to skip out of it.

“I’ll be fine, Cole,” he returned, forcing his tone to stay neutral when he was far from calm. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

A pause of silence made Dominic turn and look at Cole, who stared back at him, wholly unconvinced.

“It hasn’t even been a year yet,” the alpha said severely. “You’re allowed to – “

“No, I’m not,” Dominic snapped, cutting of Cole’s attempt at encouragement. He didn’t need it and it wasn’t true. “Tolstone still needs a Prime Alpha and right now, that’s me. I’ll own up to this and I don’t need anyone to make exceptions for me.”

That harsh admonition seemed to silence whatever Cole had planned to say and he only nodded. “Just be careful out there. Do you want me to pick you up in the morning?”

Dominic only shook his head, turned and bolted into the woods before the sheriff could say any more. With his inhuman speed putting more and more distance between him and the road, he could feel a bit of the tension slip away.

The roar of the car engine faded in favor of crickets and the rustling of critters as they scurried out of the predator’s way. With the duffle bag banging against his hip with each step, he kept running faster and faster, dodging in and out through the trees until he was completely and utterly alone. No Cole, no pack, no Erica to torment him with complicated feelings. Even his father’s commanding voice seemed a little softer in his subconscious.

He slid to a stop in some nameless, trackless part of the park and stripped down to stand naked. Only the stars, trees, and moon witnessed him tuck his things away under a sheltering bush and begin the shift from man to wolf.

The excruciating pain of the change was unaffected by age, rank, or dominance. It hurt all werewolves equally, without prejudice or mercy. It was the only equalizer amongst shifters that they could never escape from. But the rewards outweighed the intense agony that they all felt. Because when hands became paws that dug into the soil, when human skulls morphed and elongated into that of a wolf’s, when their screams were displaced by howls, beneath it all there was the oneness that could be as addicting as any drug.

It had taken him months to learn how to keep his mouth shut and muffle his cries as bones and joints became dislocated. His once blue eyes became golden, and a muscled body became covered in black fur. The mark of the Prime Alpha was seen in his pelt, a marbling of silver streaks that trailed from his chest, around his thick mane, and down his back like a royal mantle.

He shook off the last achiness of the shift and his tail quivered, disturbing some of the fallen leaves around his hind feet. Completely wolf with the heart and understanding of a man, he took off through the forest, outrunning all he tried to escape from, all that threatened to push him to the point of madness. Tonight, there was only him and the forest. If only it could have stayed that way.

***

It took a while, but Erica finally found it. With the heavy box propped against her hip, she flipped through the rows of CD cases until she spotted the right one. She pulled it out, checked the label and grinned before popping it into the old radio she had set on the fireplace mantle in the living room.

She hit play and the first track pumped the fast Latin pop beat through the speakers. Instantly, she was twelve years old again, sitting in the passenger seat of their new Honda the day her mom turned in the old Mustang. It was the first time she heard Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez, but certainly not the last. Her mother, no matter how difficult life became through the trials of being a single parent, never forgot to have fun. And neither would Erica.

She set down the box as she felt the excitement build in her chest, warming her core and lifting her spirits. She danced, shaking her hips and shoulders like her mom would whenever this song came on. For a moment, they were together again, celebrating another victory for their independence. The Mustang held a lot of memories, including the time she locked them out at a gas station when she was six, but the Honda was a milestone – just like buying this place in Tolstone – and Erica could think of no better way to spend her first night than listening to this fun workout mix her mom made.

Spinning, twirling, and rocking to her mom’s CD, she lost all track of time, but her progress was seen in the piles of empty boxes in the foyer. The kitchen, bathroom, and all her studio equipment was finally set up.

With her socks on, floor clean, and boxes scattered about the house, Erica went from room to room, dancing and sliding to the beat as she unpacked. She could think of no joy better than this, except maybe one.

All through eating her dinner and sorting through her things, Erica thought of Dominic and the way his soulful eyes called to her so inexplicably. She wondered what he was doing, if he was still at the antique shop or if he was home already. It was hard not to watch the street for him from her bedroom window while she laid out her blankets and bathroom linens.

When she finally gave in and took a peek from one of the back bedrooms, she found his house completely dark. No lights, nothing. It was as if the place was as vacant as hers had been before she moved in. The only exception was the flatbed of the silver truck she saw sitting on the far side of the house opposite from her on Highland Road, but that was there earlier, which told her that he must walk to and from work.

Surely he didn’t sleep at the antique store? There was an apartment-like space on the second floor from what she saw on the street, but she imagined that would have been either empty or packed with more antiques. Who actually lived above stores anymore?

That didn’t keep her from constantly checking the windows, looking up and down Crescent Lane. If only she had a good set of curtains or blinds to hide her peeping or the fact that she had changed into a pair of soft flannels and a tank top to unpack in.

Each time she looked for him, Erica laughed at herself and how ridiculous she was being. Dominic lingered in her mind like a catchy song, unwilling to leave and pestering her in the best way possible while he was stuck there between her ears. He was just a guy. A really cute guy, but that didn’t warrant her to be watching for him like his presence on her street mattered so much. She didn’t even know why she cared. Never had a man captured her imagination as Dominic did. This borderline obsessive checking only pushed her to stay busy and unpack faster.

Erica pulled out her first box of pictures, the ones that were small enough to be placed on tables and shelves. The mix CD was on its last song when she found the eight-by-ten portrait of her and her mother.

She had to be three or four at the time when it was taken, dolled up in a dress dotted with red roses and trimmed in white lace on the sleeves and neckline. She was propped on her mother’s hip, feet dangling and clad in little black loafers over frilly socks. Her mother, elegant and smiling, looked toward the camera as they stood on the church steps. She wasn’t sure who had taken the picture or what the occasion was. All Erica knew was that they both looked happy and she must have lost a front tooth recently because there was a nice little hole in her smile that she wasn’t the least bit ashamed of.

Erica gazed at the picture and felt the need for Dominic’s company dislocated by a need for her mother’s warm embrace just one more time. With a tear pressing at her eyelids, she placed the picture on the mantle right next to the radio.

A hybrid falls for a human…

Aurora by B.M. Griffin

Get it today on Amazon!

[image error]Aurora is the leader of Tanzahar, and she is unlike anything humans have ever heard of. She is neither vampire, werewolf, witch, angel, nor demon…as Maharani she is far more powerful than any creature of the underworld. When Aurora meets Gregor, a human, she winds up saving his life when he’s suddenly attacked. Defying Tanzaharian law, she brings Gregor to her home in the underworld. Aurora and Gregor are both drawn to each other like something powerful is pulling them together. However, there is a great war coming and it’s Aurora’s duty to protect not only her people, but the humans of earth from evil creatures known as the Shaitan. The Shaitan’s numbers have magically grown and they put everything into getting rid of Aurora and her kind so they might rule the earth. Bound by duty, Aurora tries to push Gregor away, but Gregor refuses to be left behind. He will stop at nothing to fight for Aurora, even if it means standing up to Aurora herself. In the end, Gregor may be exactly what Aurora needs if the people of Tanzahar stand a chance against the Shaitan.

About the Author

Bonnie Griffin, known as Author B.M. Griffin, lives in the small town of Richlands, North Carolina with her husband and two daughters. Bonnie has done the business thing, and while she had success it just wasn’t her cup of tea, so she has grabbed her favorite coffee and made it her mission to put her fingertips to work making her writing dream a reality. Home wasn’t the kindest place when Bonnie was growing up and reading became an outlet and a sanctuary. It was this sanctuary that led to her desire to create fantasies with her words, but don’t let that fool you, she’s got a dark side and it likes to come out to play in her books. Bonnie has an avid imagination and loves creating new worlds, creatures, species, and bringing them together through action and most of all, love. She is the author of the paranormal romance, “Loving Her Scars,” and her newest paranormal creation, “Aurora”.

More From B.M Griffin

Something About Sheritta #8

Q: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

A: I learned a TON of things! This last novella took place in 1791 in New South Wales, Australia. Only, back then, they didn’t call the continent Australia quite yet. This was only three years into the settlement at Sydney Cove. Luckily, there’s a lot of documentation out there detailing how the colony was arranged and what life was like for the convicts who settled there. I learned about the aborigines and the terribly unfair treatment they received as a result of the English moving onto the land they had inhabited for centuries. It’s much like the situation with the Native Americans. I love it when I dive into a new historical novella and realize there’s a lot of information about that particular era.

But more than that, I learned about what it may mean to forgive and let go of past offenses. The characters in The Scholars are Geoffrey and Adam Swenson, and when they’re arrested for tax evasion in England, they’re sent to Australia aboard the Third Fleet. Once they arrive, they run off into the bush and find someone they would have never expected. Alfred Swenson – Geoffrey’s father – abandoned his family without word or warning. Geoffrey and Hugo never knew what their father was, so when they turned into werewolves, it was a shock and their feelings toward Alfred were forever poisoned by this hate. Since they became werewolves, it means that their father was one too, and they assumed he knew that they would turn. Thing is, he didn’t. Alfred had no proper training, so he didn’t know his sons would turn. Otherwise, he might have stayed. But he left in order to protect them because he realized it was harder to control himself in his beast form around his family. So he ran away and never looked back, ending up in Australia. Geoffrey and Adam (Geoffrey’s son) learn all this and they have a decision to make. Forgive Alfred or keep festering in their hatred. Although I’ve never experienced the kind of abandonment they did, I had to delve deep into what it meant to forgive someone after years of bitterness toward that person. What would that feel like? How would they react when they hear the truth? What would be their reasons for forgiveness? I learned, just by conjecture and a little bit of study into psychology what it would have been like for Geoffrey and Adam.

Bewitching Brews (continued)

Here’s chapter 2 of my witchy romance, Bewitching Fire. Chapter 1 can be found further down in the blogs.

Chapter 2

From the moment Aaron and his new partner stepped into the coffee shop, Krystal could feel a disturbance in the air, as if it had been electrified. That same energy pulsed through her skin, seeping into her bloodstream. When she looked to the front door and realized the strange force was wafting off the unfamiliar, hot cop standing next to Aaron, Krystal was ready to vault over the counter to tackle him.

Damn he was fine. The police department jacket he wore did little to hide his strong, built frame beneath. His arms alone bulged against his sleeves and she nearly salivated at the way his button-down black uniform shirt hugged his trim waist. His square jaw was covered in a layer of dark scruff that must have broken some kind of police department dress code. All of their other cops were clean shaven, including Aaron. His short black hair looked soft and Krystal wished she could run her fingers through it.

She wasn’t so sure she could keep her composure when he stepped up to the counter. Those blue eyes were so easy to get lost in that she completely forgot her hands had been shaking up until that moment. Talking to him came easier than she anticipated, and a warmth spread across her body whenever he gave her that smoldering look.

He looked every inch a cop, but talked just like any other regular guy. She loved that. With Aaron being an exception, some cops came into the shop with poles up their asses when they were on duty, like they weren’t allowed to socialize like a normal human just because they were wearing a badge. Though she was a serious kind of girl, she hated when people took themselves too seriously.

She couldn’t deny that something happened while they exchanged their banter about coffee. Something deep within her seemed to awaken, and a whole new woman came out. She was on the clock with a long line of waiting customers to attend to, but it might as well have been like the whole world didn’t exist as long as Devin was gazing at her like that, so intense and fixated.

Long after the two cops left, Krystal could still feel that fire burn in her chest, threatening to consume every bit of logical reasoning she possessed. She had never been so drawn to a man before, never craved his company like she did with Devin. If they still weren’t in the middle of the morning rush, she would have thrown her apron at her two friends and ran out the door to chase after him. What she would do when she caught him inspired a whole new level of excitement.

The moment Krystal could take a break from taking orders, she took a long, cold drink of water to douse the blaze Devin had ignited. They were still in the middle of their morning rush and if Krystal didn’t cool off, she might have needed to run home and grab a change of panties. That’s how much Devin drove her crazy. And they didn’t even know each other that well.

Things finally began to slow down around eleven that morning and Krystal turned to see her two friends fixing themselves another cup of coffee.

“How many did you do today?” she asked with a serious drop in her tone as she folded her arms. She knew that both Valerie and Alexa could hear the customers as Krystal greeted them. She knew some had expressed their personal issues, but she had never given them the cue to whip up a special cup.

Alexa slipped a furtive glance to Valerie. “Nothing for me.”

Valerie didn’t look sheepish at all about it. “I did three,” she proclaimed as she claimed the honors of picking up the chalk board and scoring the first tick marks of the day. “Mrs. Gregory said her carpal tunnel was acting up again and Doctor Jones was panicking over a new surgery technique he had to learn for a patient next Friday. The last one was Maggie and you heard her talking about how freaked out she was over her dog going missing. I slipped her a tiny charm just to calm her nerves.”

Krystal crooked any eyebrow. “Your memory is impeccable, but you do realize we still have half a day left to go.”

Valerie lifted her chin defiantly. “That means we have two charms for the rest of the day. I say that’s good enough.”

It was only a couple of days ago that she told them she would rather keep the morning charms down to one or two, knowing that customers usually brought their problems into the shop toward the end of the day after everything went all to hell during their work hours. Alexa probably sensed the storm coming and stepped in, gripping her mug between her dainty hands. The painted image of the glittering fairy was obscured by her fingers.

“The new cop’s a hotty,” she nearly squealed. The coffee shop was about half empty, so she wasn’t all that concerned about her friend causing a disturbance.

“I wouldn’t mind be arrested by that tight ass,” Valerie quipped from the corner of her mouth as she turned to add the finishing touches on her second café mocha of the day.

Krystal bit her lips together, refusing to openly agree with either of them. Though, they were completely right. She checked out Devin’s behind when he left, and it was definitely a delicious sight.

“Think he always carries a pair of handcuffs?” Alexa offered with a sly grin.

Valerie brought her coffee over and the three of them congregated behind the register. “I love a man who comes prepared.”

Alexa’s gaze went a little distant. No doubt she was thinking of some erotic fantasy involving

Devin and those handcuffs. “I wonder how comfortable the back of a squad car would be?”

“I wonder if his favorite form of foreplay is reading me my rights.” Now it was Valerie’s turn to smile and nibble on her bottom lip.

“Ma’am,” Alexa began in a deep voice, “you have the right to remain sexy and naked.”

Krystal held up her hands. “I’m cutting you two off. No more caffeine today.” If they kept going, she knew for a fact she’d have to go get a change of underwear. Imagining Devin in that way was only going to make things worse. How could she possibly take his coffee order again, knowing that such images had been conjured in her mind? Though, she was achingly curious to see what was under that uniform.

Alexa reached out and flipped Krystal’s black ponytail playfully. “We’re just having a bit of fun.

You were making goo-goo eyes at him too.”

She rolled her eyes. “I was not making goo-goo eyes. I was just being friendly.”

Valerie nearly snorted coffee out of her nose. “Excuse me? You were totally flirting with him.” “And it looked like he was flirting back,” Alexa nearly sang and wiggled her hips eagerly.

Krystal couldn’t deny that. “So what if I was flirting? Doesn’t mean anything. He’ll come in here for his coffee with Aaron every morning and that’s it. Ten second interaction and we’re done for the day. I don’t plan on getting arrested anytime soon.”

Alexa gasped and grabbed Valerie’s arm, nearly making her spill her mocha. “Oh! What about sex on a jail bed?”

Valerie made a face. “I still think the squad car would be more comfortable.”

“You two are impossible,” Krystal laughed. “Why come up with these things when you know they’re never going to happen?”

Alexa shot her an impatient look. “It’s just a little fun. You know, that thing that people like to have when they’re not working. Oh, wait, you always work.”

Krystal sighed and cast her gaze to the ceiling. “I don’t always work.”

“I drove by the other night around eleven o’clock and you were still here,” Valerie stated.

“We close at eight,” Alexa added.

She shrugged. “I had some extra paperwork to do, that’s all.”

Krystal wasn’t about to say it out loud, but they were right. Again. She worked all the time, making sure this place ran as smoothly as possible. If that meant spending a few extra hours sorting through receipts and researching new marketing strategies, she was all for it.

Alexa held up a hand in surrender. “All I’m saying is that you need to take some time for yourself every once and a while. Go home, pet your cat, cook something, I don’t know.”

The recipe board on Krystal’s Pinterest account was getting pretty full. Each night before going to bed, she would browse the app and pick out new dishes she wanted to try whenever she had the free time – which was proving so elusive nowadays.

“If I go home, I’m just going to see all the things I need to repair and clean, and I won’t get to relax at all. And Artemis doesn’t like too much attention, you know that.”

“Maybe you need someone with you when you go home to distract you from all the stuff you feel you have to do,” Valerie proposed, giving her a furtive glance from behind the rim of her mug.

Krystal shook her head. “I’m not going to invite a guy over to my house just because you two think I need a diversion from life.”

Valerie looked away. “Who said anything about inviting a guy over? I only said you needed someone with you when you go home. He could invite himself in.”

Alexa giggled. “Could Devin get a search warrant or something? Then he could come in without having to be invited.”

Krystal took a deep breath and untied her apron. “That’s it,” she said. “I’m going to Taylor’s early to get that cocoa mix. You two are driving me nuts.”

Valerie and Alexa laughed together, something that rarely ever happened.

“You go get that cocoa mix, then,” Alexa said once she could take a breath. “We’ll hold down the fort.”

Krystal didn’t exactly need her permission to leave, but when she was just on the other side of the counter, it occurred to her the long walk she would have to take to get to Taylor’s nursery. It was nearly double the distance she had to walk this morning to get to work and she didn’t want to be gone for that long. That, and the box Taylor would have for her might very well be more than she could comfortably carry back.

She turned to Alexa. “Can I borrow your car?”

“Sure!” Alexa reached down to grab her keys from her purse and tossed the tiny bundle to Krystal. Alexa’s keychain probably only had a couple of real keys on its rings. The rest were a confusing myriad of trinkets and charms she had collected over the years, some dating back to high school.

Krystal hurried out and found the Volkswagen bug parked across the street. It was hard to miss that bright yellow car, even in a snow storm. Since she lived so close to work, Krystal never bothered to drive. She enjoyed getting the fresh air and admiring the morning anyway.

As soon as she revved up the engine, peppy pop music blared through the speakers. Without thinking, Krystal cringed and flicked her fingers to mute the audio without ever touching the radio on the dash. Ever since she learned the simple rules of magic, Krystal had a bad habit of using it reflexively. Whenever she needed something quick, she just did it with her magic without thinking. At least she was getting better at controlling those impulses.

She let out a breath and pulled away from the curb.

It was probably only a five minute drive, if that at all, but Krystal found herself zoning out as she traveled down the long residential streets. Mostly, she thought of Devin.

Rumors had been floating around town ever since Aaron’s first partner, Mr. Kenny, retired after serving on Goldcrest Cove’s police force for nearly forty years. The old man wasn’t as spry as he used to be, and now that his wife – who had been the elementary school principal for just about as long – was retired too, he was eager to stay at home during the day.

Goldcrest Cove wasn’t a dangerous place by any means. They could have transferred Aaron to a desk job if they wanted and the place wouldn’t have been any less safe for one less patrol car out on the town. Yet, Chief Nickels thought Aaron needed a new partner.

When she heard customers talking about the new cop from Boston, she had been mildly intrigued, but wasn’t about to go poking around for details. Whoever the new cop was, she just wished that he would be a good fit for the town and for Aaron.

Seeing Devin interact with his partner this morning, Krystal was sure that they would get along just fine. They were about the same age, which was in his favor. That had been a bit of a barrier between Aaron and Mr. Kenny over the last six months since they were paired together.

As for whether Devin would be a good fit for the town, she wasn’t sure. The few minutes they spent talking across the counter at the coffee shop wasn’t really enough for her to gauge whether he would be one of those stuck-up city folk who needed their organic produce and exciting clubs. He already admitted that he didn’t like fancy coffee, which might have been a good sign.

Right on the corner of Lavender Lane and Kellie Drive, Krystal finally looked in her rearview mirror and saw a cop car coming up behind her. Its lights weren’t on, and she couldn’t help but strain her eyes to see through the tinted window. Maybe it was Devin and Aaron’s car.

She stopped at the stop sign and waited an extra second longer than she normally would before proceeding through the intersection and taking a right turn.

Then, the red and blue lights started flashing.

She groaned and pleaded with the Fates that it would be someone she knew and they would let her slide without a ticket. Honestly, she didn’t even know what she had done wrong.

Either way, she pulled along the curve in front of the two story blue house that used to belong to one of the lawyers in town, and shut off her engine. It was only then that she realized she had completely forgotten her purse in the mad dash to escape her two dirty-minded friends at the shop. She didn’t have her driver’s license at all.

She groaned aloud. All she could go was wait, receive her ticket, and she’d have to go down to the court house on her half-day off to pay the fee. Her hands gripped the fuzzy steering wheel cover and she waited for the cop.

She glanced in her side mirror and swallowed back the lump in her throat when she saw Devin angle out of the driver’s seat. Without realizing she did it, she squeezed her legs together a little tighter as she watched him swagger up to her side of the car. She might have to swing by the house to grab that extra pair of panties if this traffic stop went the way she thought it would.

When they locked eyes, a slow smile spread across his face. “Fancy seeing you here,” he said as he leaned down and crossed his arms over the car door so his face was level with hers.

Krystal stammered for a moment, her heart hammering against her ribcage. Up close like this, he smelled good enough to eat. “I was just going to pick up something from my friend’s house. This isn’t even my car.”

Why she admitted that, Krystal would never know. Maybe it was the way those blue eyes danced at the sight of her, or the way his pearly white teeth seemed to gleam in the morning sun.

Devin looked around the interior of the car. “I should have guessed this wasn’t yours,” he said.

“Seems a little too… extra for someone like you.”

She wasn’t sure exactly what that was supposed to mean, but “extra” definitely described Alexa.

“I can’t imagine why you’d pull me over, though.”

Devin jerked his thumb toward the tailgate. “The driver’s side break light is out,” he informed her. “I’m actually kind of glad because we’ve been bored stiff all morning.”

Krystal could have extrapolated out exactly why he was glad for a break from the monotony of patrol duty. Some of the cops had come into the coffee shop complaining that they hadn’t made their quota for tickets written that month. If Devin was looking for an easy traffic stop, he certainly found it.

There was no way she was coming out of this without the little pink slip of paper.

Then again, maybe he was just happy to see her. Everything in the way he looked at her and how he was standing now, so engaged and totally against regulation, told her that he was glad to have pulled her over. In all honesty, she was thrilled that he was the one to be giving her the ticket. It meant she could see him one more time before the following morning.

“Since this isn’t your car, can I at least see your driver’s license?”

Krystal wasn’t sure why she would even get the idea that she could flirt her way out of this ticket, but she tried it anyway. “Why? Trying to find out where I live?”

Devin smirked. “I’m sure I could find that out without your driver’s license. I know your name and I’m sure there isn’t another Krystal Hayden in a town this small. So, I can just look you up in our system.”

“Something tells me you’re not the stalker type, though,” she said, easing back against her seat and letting her hands drop to her lap.

“You’re right,” he replied with a nod. “I’m not, but you might just convince me to do something like that.”

Krystal bowed her head and felt heat plume through her body again like it had at the coffee shop. Hopefully, he didn’t see her blush. “Well, you just might have to, because unfortunately, I don’t have my driver’s license either.”

Devin made a displeased, clucking sound with his tongue and she couldn’t help but think of all the nasty little ideas Alexa and Valerie had planted in her head when he said, “That’s a shame. I may have to take you into the station now.”

Krystal’s eyes went wide and Devin let out a hearty laugh when he saw her shock. His hands lifted in capitulation. “No, no. Don’t worry. I won’t take you in.”

She let out the breath she had been holding, though she was tempted to be furious with him for joking that way.

“I will, however, have to give you a ticket for not having your license. And you’ll need to tell the owner of the car that they have a break light out so I don’t have to pull them over too.”

Krystal peered at him. “I’ve never heard of anyone getting a ticket just for not having their license.”

“You have twenty-four hours to bring it to the station and the fee is waived.” He held up a finger. “However, I think I can work my way around the system.”

Krystal felt the corners of her lips spread into a new smile, despite her circumstances. “Oh?”

“Yep. See, if you go out to dinner with me tonight and show up with your driver’s license, I don’t think a ticket would be necessary. Since you came and showed it to me, I think that’s good enough.”

She wanted to burst out into a fit of giggles. It wasn’t exactly the direct way to ask her out on a date, but it was definitely unique. Who could resist an offer like that? No ticket and she would get to go on a date with quite possibly the hottest guy in town. He certainly was the hottest cop in town. Aaron was cute and all, but she didn’t go for blonde guys. Good thing Devin had hair as black as a starless night sky.

Krystal’s face wrinkled when she remembered it was Thursday. “I have to work this evening.” “How late?”

“The shop closes at eight,” she replied, wishing he had pulled her over the next day instead when she could get off at four in the afternoon.”

“That should work fine. Most places don’t close until midnight, right?”

Oh, the ignorance of city folk. “I’ll let you know now that a lot of places close at nine or sooner. I think the only place that’s open later is the grocery store on the north side of town. And I don’t think you can eat dinner there.”

Devin turned pensive for a minute.

“We can go to dinner tomorrow night?” she offered with a shrug.

“Nah, that won’t work. You wouldn’t have shown your license to me soon enough.”

Krystal wasn’t sure how serious he was about the license thing. She thought that was just an excuse, but now he’s making it sound like it’s damn near a requirement. “Well, then I guess you better write me the ticket.”

“Do you think Alexa and Valerie can close up shop for you?” he asked and she could hear a little feathering of desperation in his voice. “It doesn’t take three girls, does it? I mean, who’s going to be getting coffee at eight o’clock at night?”

“Cops who are working the night shift.”

Devin nodded in agreement. “Okay, you got my there. But, seriously, you’re one of the owners. Can’t you make an exception for a new guy in town? I don’t know where would be a good place to eat anyway. You should show me around.”

Krystal smiled. “I’m sure Aaron can show you around. Besides, I may be one of the owners, but that means more than just my signature on a lease. I have a responsibility to my business.”

All of the sudden, the words of her friends came back to her. Maybe she was taking everything too seriously. Here she was, with a handsome cop who was obviously interested in her, and she was turning him down just because she had to work hours that were fairly flexible, especially in the evening. There was no way she was going to make Valerie cover her shift, not after the way she dragged her tired ass in that morning. She needed her rest, and though Krystal totally trusted Alexa to do a good job of cleaning up the store, the little nagging voice in the back of her mind told her that she needed to do it herself rather than leaving all of the work to her friend.

Yet, her heart and that tender spot between her legs were screaming different orders at her. Devin was handsome, and absolutely interesting. She wanted to know all about his life in Boston, and especially what would bring him nearly fifty miles north to Goldcrest Cove – of all places. There was something more behind those pretty blue eyes and she needed to know what it was.

Just when Devin looked to be losing hope, Krystal shifted a bit in her seat. “But, what the hell. I’ll have dinner with you.”

Devin flashed her another smile. “Excellent. How does six sound?”

Krystal nodded. “Sounds just fine.”

“Where should I meet you?”

It didn’t take her long to figure out where she wanted to have her first date with Devin. “There’s a little Italian place down the street from the coffee shop called, Mama Pazzini’s. I know the couple who owns it. Have Aaron show you where it is and I’ll meet you there.”

Devin straightened. “I love Italian food, so that works perfect. Don’t forget to bring your license.”

With that, he tapped his hand on the hood of the car to dismiss her, and turned to walk back to his squad car. Krystal watched him in the side mirror and licked her lips. Damn he was fine.

She let Aaron and Devin drive away first, and then Krystal pulled out onto the street again to drive slowly – and carefully – toward Taylor’s nursery. All the way, she asked herself why she was so willing to throw away her unspoken code of business ethics just for a guy. Devin might have been worth it, but how could she tell until she got to know him better? For the past five years, she had practically slaved to make sure Perfect Books and Brews was the go-to meeting place for coffee.

So far, she had done all of that. One night on the town wasn’t going to undo years of planning and hard work. Right?

First thing’s first. She needed to take care of that break light. At the next stop sign, Krystal stuck her head out the open window and flicked her finger toward the tailgate. “Work,” she commanded, and she faintly saw the driver’s side break light blink to life, and then beam a strong red.

It’s the quiet ones you watch out for…

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My name is Drew. I like the quiet. I like the dark. I don’t mind being by myself. I might be considered a loner.

High School (n.)

Definition: A place where teenagers in a thirty mile radius are brought together with their hot mess of problems and are expected to magically cohabitate peacefully for seven hours a day, five days a week.

Magically being the key word.

Jocks, Preps, Emo, Geeks, Nerds, and Witches…and the list goes on. No matter the century, the classification of the teenagers stays tried and true. OK, that last category might be a new one, but it IS the twenty-first century. There are some very weird vibes in Dark Hollow that go way back in many of the local family trees. Rumors of witches and magic seem to hover in every conversation.

The first day was a rough one. Stevie, the Emo queen, has shown me that she is not happy that I’m here in her school. Fortunately, and surprisingly, Claire, the lead Prep has taken a liking to me. Well, at least, she seems to want to irritate Stevie by being my new BFF.

All was well, until Claire breaks up with Dustin, school QB, and he decides that he wants to get to know me better. Tables have turned.

Claire’s bullying has topped the mega meter. A recent fight between Claire and Stevie has resulted in the death of Stevie. Suicide or Witchslaughter? I need to know the truth, but everyone is too afraid to challenge Claire about what really happened. Maybe it’s time for this Quiet Girl to get loud.

Something About Sheritta #7

Q: If you knew you’d die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?

A: Well, I certainly wouldn’t go to my day job. I might send them an email or phone call saying how much I love them, and how their friendship shaped me in so many ways. But I won’t spend my last day on earth working. And I hope my husband wouldn’t either, because I’d want to spend the entire day with him. I’d spend the morning giving out those “goodbye” messages to those who matter in my life like my parents and close friends. Then in the afternoon, I think I’d want to go somewhere for lunch that I had never been, but always wanted to go. But for the most part, I’d spend it with my husband. I would be tempted to write, but there really wouldn’t be much of a point because even though I love writing, those words may never see the light of day or be published, so I won’t waste time like that. If I had a week, I’d probably plan some amazing trip overseas, but if I just got the notice that I’d die tomorrow, there’s no time to go anywhere really. And traveling stresses me out anyway.