M.A. Church's Blog, page 137

Countdown to Trouble Day #3

Hey y’all! It’s day #3 of the Countdown to Trouble. For each day I’m going to post a little something about the story or characters. It may just be a pic that helped me along while writing it, or it may be more. You’ll have to keep checking, lol.







Today we meet Kirk Wells. Kirk is human and he's having lots of money and personal problems.







His partner broke up with him around Christmas a year ago. He said Kirk was a workaholic. Imagine that. Kirk had just opened his own mechanic business and was struggling to make ends meet. Yeah, he was putting in long hours.



Then all the appliances broke... at the same time in his home. Of course. Money is tight so they'll just have to wait. He burns lots of wood to help keep warm. Yes, lol, that's important.




Kirk is lonely. All he wants is someone to love him, to want him for him. He has some strands of white in his chocolate brown hair and he has brown eyes. He's just an ordinary guy trying to get by.

Little does he know what's about to end up on his doorstep in the middle of a snowstorm, lol.




Did you know:

Kirk's ex-jerk of a boyfriend is named Carson Womble?

Kirk's arousal smells like honeysuckle to Dolf and Tal?

Kick's nickname for Tal is "pretty kitty". But Dolf calls Kirk "sexy".

Kirk has a foot fetish? And surprise, Kirk has a smart mouth on him. Now, who didn't see that coming, lol???






Blurb:

A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.
Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.
Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.




Trouble Comes in Threes will release from DsP on 12/26/14Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5884

Wednesday Briefs - In Enemy Hands 3.2

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs flash group (click to go to the site). The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. If interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll tell you how. :)Prompts for this week:
“What have you found?”“Time for some hard truths.”

“Time is money.”

“Can you see a difference?”

“Absolutely power corrupts absolutely.”

“Push it.”

“In my experience...”

“Like a bull in a china closet.”

“I’m here to help.”

“Get down on it.”

or use: flag, light, shot

or use: color, mountains, couch

or use: meat, wheel, frame

or have your character get burned

or use: red, storm, fence

or have a character take a bath.

or have a character find a penny on the ground

or have a character make pancakes

or have a character get his hair washed

or make a Bucky Barnes reference (no using a raccoon)

or “I am the god of hell fire…”

or “Some things just don’t work out”

or “Looking for a sign of intelligence in that man was like looking for a needle… at the bottom of a swimming pool.”




Chapter 3.2

“Well, well, well. What have we here?” Adlar pulled the red sash from the grime. A hard smile covered his face.
He looked out at the jungle, eyes narrowed. “So, we have one of the three Yesri princes stranded on planet.”
More than likely the prince was the third son—not as valuable as the heir or the spare, but still worth something. Adlar brought the cloth to his face and sniffed. At first, all he smelled was the richness of the dirt. He shook the sash to clean it and tried again. Closing his eyes, he blocked out disruptions as he attempted to catch any hidden scent of his enemy.
He took a deep breath… and yes. There. That was what he was looking for. Adlar memorized the light, breezy fragrance that held just a hint of maleness. The scent wrapped around him, teasing his senses.
Clutching the sash, his fingers crushed the velvety fabric as a sudden stab of desire raced through him, leaving him aching. His fangs throbbed as the thrilling scent invaded his body. Maddened, he opened his eyes, staring at the sash he held, his cock hard. Shock’s icy fingers danced along his spine.
In an effort to clear his thoughts, he shook his head. No! This can’t be happening. This was his enemy, not some lost lover to caress and hold. Adlar squeezed the sash as he tried to dampen his reaction to that scent. The Yesri prince would find out exactly how the Helkans treated invaders.
A silent snarl marred Adlar’s mouth. “Ah, my princeling, I hope you make my hunt interesting.” He smirked at the jungle. “Because I will find you.”
He folded the sash and slipped it inside his shirt, then moved away from the wreck site. He scouted the surrounding area, checking the jungle for signs of retreat. His eyes narrowed at the slight disturbance he noticed in the surrounding fauna not far from the crash site. Nearby was a waterfall and Adlar strode to it, a frown on his face.
The water splashed gently into a small pool. Lush plants and wind-smoothed pewter rocks surrounded the falls. A slim sliver of light from one of the two moons cast a bright radiance over the surrounding water.
Adlar stood at the waterfall, frown deepening. “Scent leads here, of all places.” He glanced around him. “Why here? Of all the directions you could’ve chosen to run, why did you have to pick the path that led you to my special place?”
Just that morning he’d been here, relaxing in the waters.
What if they’d crashed while he was there, in the water? Alone. Naked. Shaking off the thought, he studied the tracks. Whoever he was following had done a good job of trying to hide his movements, but he’d left little mistakes behind.
While darkness was an excellent cover, it had no affect on a predator used to it. Adlar set off, following the trail. The sounds of the jungle chirped and called around him while he walked. He unsnapped his stunner and gripped the weapon.
He wasn’t the only predator out there—danger came in all shapes and sizes. In the distance, he heard the low, warning grunt of a batar, a large feline-type animal, alerting Adlar something was amiss. The smell of blood drifting on the air currents was his second hint.
“Frack.” Every predator in a ten-mile radius would be approaching.
Tension griped his shoulders as he hesitated. The safest thing to do was retreat and go in another direction. Otherwise, things could get nasty. But what if the prey was the Yesri prince? He sincerely hoped that wasn’t his princeling bleeding out.
Any blood his enemy shed would be shed by him. Adlar upped his pace, following the scent of blood, stunner at the ready. Once he found the source, he’d find the batar. The beast was over seven feet long and almost four feet high, with a three-foot long tail. They weighed around six hundred pounds.
The animal’s fur was either black as night, or a deep, dark purple… and he really didn’t want to battle it. It was a majestic creature who didn’t deserve to die just so he could get his hands on his enemy. That wasn’t to say he wouldn’t give it a small zap with his stunner so it would move along.
He followed the batar’s call, the sense something was wrong hurrying him along. The heavy, wild scent of the animal hit him first, followed by the metallic odor of blood. Adlar stopped and kneeled. An unusually large dark purple batar paced under a large, thick based tree with a full canopy. Even though the feline had claws, it hadn’t attempted to climb up. Smart animal.
The hand-size broad leaves had a jagged edge, and the tree’s sap acted as a numbing agent. Adlar shook his head as he examined the scene in front of him. On a lower branch, where the leaves parted, he spotted a boot. His people knew what the leaves were capable of, so that left one possibility.
One of the invaders.
The batar crouched under the tree then roared, the call a deadly promise. Adlar tensed, his body readying itself for battle. Abruptly, the batar’s head snapped around. A long scar meandered down its face. The feline’s large, black eyes stared straight in his direction.
Adlar stood. With sure steps, he strode forward toward the tree the batar guarded. He stopped. Still maintaining eye contact with the beast, he let loose a chuffing grunt that sounded as though it came from his gut. The primal sound filled the vicinity. The big feline cocked its head, its tail still swishing madly.
It too stood to its full height and prowled toward Adlar. He too bared his fangs. It stalked straight at him… then reared up on its hind legs, its body draping Adlar’s, a giddy purr bellowing from the animal.
Laughing, Adlar holstered his stunner and hugged the massive animal. “Dar!”

He laughed again as he stumbled, with the animal’s weight against him.


TBC
Carol Pedroso

Shelly Schulz

M.A. Church

Jon Keys

Nephylim

Avery Dawes

Cia Nordwell

Ravon Silvius

Victoria Adams

Kazy Reed

Johayan

Tali Spencer

Julie Lynn Hayes

Wednesday Briefs - In Enemy Hands

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs flash group (click to go to the site). The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. If interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll tell you how. :)Prompts for this week:
“What have you found?”“Time for some hard truths.”

“Time is money.”

“Can you see a difference?”

“Absolutely power corrupts absolutely.”

“Push it.”

“In my experience...”

“Like a bull in a china closet.”

“I’m here to help.”

“Get down on it.”

or use: flag, light, shot

or use: color, mountains, couch

or use: meat, wheel, frame

or have your character get burned

or use: red, storm, fence

or have a character take a bath.

or have a character find a penny on the ground

or have a character make pancakes

or have a character get his hair washed

or make a Bucky Barnes reference (no using a raccoon)

or “I am the god of hell fire…”

or “Some things just don’t work out”

or “Looking for a sign of intelligence in that man was like looking for a needle… at the bottom of a swimming pool.”




Chapter 3.2

“Well, well, well. What have we here?” Adlar pulled the red sash from the grime. A hard smile covered his face.
He looked out at the jungle, eyes narrowed. “So, we have one of the three Yesri princes stranded on planet.”
More than likely the prince was the third son—not as valuable as the heir or the spare, but still worth something. Adlar brought the cloth to his face and sniffed. At first, all he smelled was the richness of the dirt. He shook the sash to clean it and tried again. Closing his eyes, he blocked out disruptions as he attempted to catch any hidden scent of his enemy.
He took a deep breath… and yes. There. That was what he was looking for. Adlar memorized the light, breezy fragrance that held just a hint of maleness. The scent wrapped around him, teasing his senses.
Clutching the sash, his fingers crushed the velvety fabric as a sudden stab of desire raced through him, leaving him aching. His fangs throbbed as the thrilling scent invaded his body. Maddened, he opened his eyes, staring at the sash he held, his cock hard. Shock’s icy fingers danced along his spine.
In an effort to clear his thoughts, he shook his head. No! This can’t be happening. This was his enemy, not some lost lover to caress and hold. Adlar squeezed the sash as he tried to dampen his reaction to that scent. The Yesri prince would find out exactly how the Helkans treated invaders.
A silent snarl marred Adlar’s mouth. “Ah, my princeling, I hope you make my hunt interesting.” He smirked at the jungle. “Because I will find you.”
He folded the sash and slipped it inside his shirt, then moved away from the wreck site. He scouted the surrounding area, checking the jungle for signs of retreat. His eyes narrowed at the slight disturbance he noticed in the surrounding fauna not far from the crash site. Nearby was a waterfall and Adlar strode to it, a frown on his face.
The water splashed gently into a small pool. Lush plants and wind-smoothed pewter rocks surrounded the falls. A slim sliver of light from one of the two moons cast a bright radiance over the surrounding water.
Adlar stood at the waterfall, frown deepening. “Scent leads here, of all places.” He glanced around him. “Why here? Of all the directions you could’ve chosen to run, why did you have to pick the path that led you to my special place?”
Just that morning he’d been here, relaxing in the waters.
What if they’d crashed while he was there, in the water? Alone. Naked. Shaking off the thought, he studied the tracks. Whoever he was following had done a good job of trying to hide his movements, but he’d left little mistakes behind.
While darkness was an excellent cover, it had no affect on a predator used to it. Adlar set off, following the trail. The sounds of the jungle chirped and called around him while he walked. He unsnapped his stunner and gripped the weapon.
He wasn’t the only predator out there—danger came in all shapes and sizes. In the distance, he heard the low, warning grunt of a batar, a large feline-type animal, alerting Adlar something was amiss. The smell of blood drifting on the air currents was his second hint.
“Frack.” Every predator in a ten-mile radius would be approaching.
Tension griped his shoulders as he hesitated. The safest thing to do was retreat and go in another direction. Otherwise, things could get nasty. But what if the prey was the Yesri prince? He sincerely hoped that wasn’t his princeling bleeding out.
Any blood his enemy shed would be shed by him. Adlar upped his pace, following the scent of blood, stunner at the ready. Once he found the source, he’d find the batar. The beast was over seven feet long and almost four feet high, with a three-foot long tail. They weighed around six hundred pounds.
The animal’s fur was either black as night, or a deep, dark purple… and he really didn’t want to battle it. It was a majestic creature who didn’t deserve to die just so he could get his hands on his enemy. That wasn’t to say he wouldn’t give it a small zap with his stunner so it would move along.
He followed the batar’s call, the sense something was wrong hurrying him along. The heavy, wild scent of the animal hit him first, followed by the metallic odor of blood. Adlar stopped and kneeled. An unusually large dark purple batar paced under a large, thick based tree with a full canopy. Even though the feline had claws, it hadn’t attempted to climb up. Smart animal.
The hand-size broad leaves had a jagged edge, and the tree’s sap acted as a numbing agent. Adlar shook his head as he examined the scene in front of him. On a lower branch, where the leaves parted, he spotted a boot. His people knew what the leaves were capable of, so that left one possibility.
One of the invaders.
The batar crouched under the tree then roared, the call a deadly promise. Adlar tensed, his body readying itself for battle. Abruptly, the batar’s head snapped around. A long scar meandered down its face. The feline’s large, black eyes stared straight in his direction.
Adlar stood. With sure steps, he strode forward toward the tree the batar guarded. He stopped. Still maintaining eye contact with the beast, he let loose a chuffing grunt that sounded as though it came from his gut. The primal sound filled the vicinity. The big feline cocked its head, its tail still swishing madly.
It too stood to its full height and prowled toward Adlar. He too bared his fangs. It stalked straight at him… then reared up on its hind legs, its body draping Adlar’s, a giddy purr bellowing from the animal.
Laughing, Adlar holstered his stunner and hugged the massive animal. “Dar!”

He laughed again as he stumbled, with the animal’s weight against him.


TBC
Carol Pedroso

Shelly Schulz

M.A. Church

Jon Keys

Nephylim

Avery Dawes

Cia Nordwell

Ravon Silvius

Victoria Adams

Kazy Reed

Johayan

Tali Spencer

Julie Lynn Hayes

Countdown to Trouble Day #2

 Day #2
Hey y’all! It’s day #2 of the Countdown to Trouble. For each day I’m going to post about it. It may just be a pic that helped me along while writing it, or it may be more. You’ll have to keep checking, lol. 


Talise Martin – Tal is also a cat shifter, and he’s a switch. He has the same long and lanky build as Dolf, but he has golden skin. His eyes are that same icy blue. Tal is an Omega, and in this world, Omega’s have either white-blond hair… or even rarer are the redheads. Omega’s are not considered weak. In fact, they are the peacekeepers of a clowder. He’s also 150 yrs old, but looks around age 25ish. These cats *are* house cats, but they’re more along the size of Savannah’s. Tal owns his own construction company and is Dolf’s mate. 
Tal also built the house they live in.  






What is a clowder? It’s a group of cats. When is this taking place? The story starts at the end of November, right after Black Friday. Where? Southern US during winter, and it’s snowing. Small town called West Falls.Time? Present day





Blurb:
A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.

Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.

Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.




Trouble Comes in Threes will release from DsP on 12/26/14Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5884

Countdown to Trouble day #2

 Day #2
Hey y’all! It’s day #2 of the Countdown to Trouble. For each day I’m going to post about it. It may just be a pic that helped me along while writing it, or it may be more. You’ll have to keep checking, lol. 


Talise Martin – Tal is also a cat shifter, and he’s a switch. He has the same long and lanky build as Dolf, but he has golden skin. His eyes are that same icy blue. Tal is an Omega, and in this world, Omega’s have either white-blond hair… or even rarer are the redheads. Omega’s are not considered weak. In fact, they are the peacekeepers of a clowder. He’s also 150 yrs old, but looks around age 25ish. These cats *are* house cats, but they’re more along the size of Savannah’s. Tal owns his own construction company and is Dolf’s mate. 
Tal also built the house they live in.  






What is a clowder? It’s a group of cats. When is this taking place? The story starts at the end of November, right after Black Friday. Where? Southern US during winter, and it’s snowing. Small town called West Falls.Time? Present day





Blurb:
A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.

Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.

Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.




Trouble Comes in Threes will release from DsP on 12/26/14Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5884

Countdown to Trouble - Day #1

Day #1 

Hey y’all! Welcome to December. So, have y'all ever heard of the countdown to Christmas? Well, I’m having a countdown to the release of Trouble. LOL. Yup, I’ve lost my mind.Want to join me???This isn’t something I normally do for book release, but this book... jeez, this book really sunk its claws in me. I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s been a while since I've gotten this attached to a story, lol.Here’s the plan. For each day I’m going to post about it. It may just be a pic that helped me along while writing it, or it may be more. You’ll have to keep checking, lol. 

Dolf (Dolfoon Hoyer) is the Head beta to the West Falls clowder. In other words, he'll assume the Alpha position when his dad, Armonty Hoyer, steps down. Dolf is a feline shifter with black hair and icy blue eyes.
He's tall with a swimmers build: long and lean with tanned skin. He’s also a total top. Dolf is 150 yrs old, but looks 25ish. He runs the financial part of his and Tal’s construction business. Tal (Talise Martin) is Dolf’s mate.  





The cats in this series are house cats, but are larger than normal house cats. Think Savannah’s. I added this picture so you could see the difference between regular house cats and Savannah's. The werecats in this book are the size of the spotted ones. Pretty big huh?






Quote from Dolf:
 “I despise this place, I want you to know that,” Dolf grumbled, barely suppressing a hiss as he drove down yet another aisle hunting for a parking spot. “I must have lost my mind to even attempt to shop after Black Friday. And who was the idiot who laid out these parking lots? They’re not big enough to park a hybrid car in, much less a king cab dually truck. But then, parking this thing inside a city block takes an act of Congress.”
Blurb:A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.

Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.

Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.


Trouble Comes in Threes will release from DsP on 12/26/14Pre-order link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5884 

Winner of the Thanksgiving Giveaway!

Congrats to Dannyfiredragon! I've sent the GC to the email you left me! 

~M

Trouble Comes in Threes on Dreamspinner's Coming Soon Page

The
Fur, Fangs, and Felines series



Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5884
paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5885(and they're marked down since DsP is having a Thanksgiving sale!)

Blurb:A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines. 
Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves. 
Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.

Excerpt:“I despise this place, I want you to know that,” Dolf grumbled, barely suppressing a hiss as he drove down yet another aisle hunting for a parking spot. “I must have lost my mind to even attempt to shop after Black Friday. And who was the idiot who laid out these parking lots? They’re not big enough to park a hybrid car in, much less a king cab dually truck. But then, parking this thing inside a city block takes an act of Congress.”Tal poked Dolf in the ribs. “Stop picking on my truck.”“Truck, ha. This thing ought to have its own zip code.” Dolf grunted in annoyance when some kid zipped into the spot he’d been eyeing. “Damn kid got my spot.”“You have truck envy.”“My ass.”“And I do envy your ass, even as long as we’ve been mated.” Tal winked. “By the way, quit bitching about that kid. You see, we’re not even on the right side.” Tal pointed to the far side of the parking lot. “What we’re going to buy is on that side of the store. I don’t see the point in parking over here, then having to walk a mile to get over there. Unless, of course, you just want to.”“You want to drive?”“No point now. We’re here.”Dolf checked his watch. “I bet by the time we get out of here, it’ll be five o’clock. For someone who absolutely hates driving in rush-hour traffic, you might want to rethink that last comment.”Tal pouted, lower lip pooched out and eyes sad.“Oh no, don’t even start with the sad, puppy dog eyes. I mean, really. Puppy dog eyes?”“You’re so mean.”“No, sweetheart, mean would be making you ride home with your dick out and unable to touch it while I talk dirty to you.”Tal shifted in the seat. “If memory serves, you diddo that the last time we were here. Thank goodness it was dark and you have tinted windows.”A pleasant smile crossed Dolf’s face as he revisited the memory of his mate sprawled out in the seat. “Yup, that was a ride home worth remembering. You were begging by the time we got in the drive.” His voice had a little purr as he spoke.“As I said: mean.”“Hey, gotta get my kicks somehow when you drag me here.” Dolf blew out a deep breath as he slowly made his way to the other side of the huge discount hardware store. “When we’re done, you want to grab an early dinner?” Dolf scanned the parking lot. “Gods, isn’t there something closer to the front of the store? Did I mention I hate this place?”“At least once every five minutes, and yes, dinner sounds good. I heard Sam had his grand opening at Arches few nights ago.”“What a name. I love it.”“Isn’t it? I helped finish a few things right before he opened. He took some flak about the name from some of the… well, employees who are—”“I know what you mean.” Werecats usually lived separately from human society, but still ran businesses that hired humans. Even though they didn’t like to do that. Then Dolf scowled. “Wait, he was having trouble?”“It was just all in good fun. He just shrugged, said he liked cats, and that’s what cats do—they arch. Want to stop by his new restaurant?”“Yes, we’ll eat there,” Dolf said. “I hear they have great steaks. Might even have to have a beer or three after this little adventure.”“I really don’t get why you hate coming here so much.”“Because every time I step foot in this place, I end up spending hours here. Half the time I’m hunting someone down for assistance. I walk in, and every employee in a five-mile radius disappears.”“I never have a problem finding someone to help.”Well, of course Tal didn’t have any problems. Just look at that long, wavy, white-blond hair, those bright blue eyes, and that long, lean, golden, sun-kissed body. Add in the sweet, innocent look and ready smile—and people fell all over themselves to help his sexy mate.Dolf glanced in the rearview mirror. He had the same bright blue eyes, but his jet-black hair curled loosely at the nape of his neck. Unlike Tal, most cat shifters had dark hair. Smooth, deep-bronzed skin stretched over finely honed muscles. A layer of thick, dark stubble covered his jaw and framed his lips. He was the dark to Tal’s light. And as far as sweet? As head beta of his clowder, and the next Alpha, there wasn’t a sweet bone in his body. “Ah-ah!” Dolf whipped the truck into a parking spot, cackling loudly. “Right in front of the store too. How often does that happen?”“I swear, is this like a competition—you against the parking lot gods?”“I’m not that bad.” Dolf shut the truck off.“Right.” Tal rolled his eyes as he climbed out.Dolf walked around the front of the truck, waiting for Tal. “Okay, so maybe I am.”“You are.” Tal eagerly rubbed his hands together as they walked into the store. “Man, I love this place. Okay, you said you wanted to get your dad some sort of tool for his birthday, right? Hand tools are over there.”Dolf watched Tal stride across the store, following behind. He certainly was no follower, but in here, Tal ruled. Plus, it gave him a chance to admire that fine ass of Tal’s, which could only improve his mood.“Ta-da. Hand tools!” Tal gestured to shelf upon shelf of tools in all different sizes and lengths. “What did you have in mind?”“Have in mind?” Dolf stared at the shelves, his sudden good mood gone. “Are you kidding me? There’s like… millions of things here. What does half this stuff do? How many different types of hammers does a guy need to just drive in a nail?”“It amazes me how the handyman gene skipped you. I thought this stuff was ingrained into the male DNA. You hate hardware stores, hate tools—you don’t have a clue what most of them do or even care. I just don’t get it.”Dolf lowered his voice. “You questioning my manhood? Huh. I’ll remember that tonight when you’re screaming to come.”Tal hunched his shoulders and his nose twitched. He discreetly sniffed the air. “Aw, goddess, I can smell your desire. Don’t do that, Dolf. Don’t make me walk around here hard.”Dolf snickered, really wishing he could drag his mate off to a dark corner. The sweet scent of Tal’s arousal floated to him, making him need. “Then behave.”“Deal.”“So, help me out here.” Dolf scratched his head. “What do I get the Alph… ah, I mean the man who has everything?” Dolf wanted to smack himself in the head. He rarely slipped and said that word when not around others of his kind. From a very young age, they learned to be cautious around humans.“Really? How did you miss the clue your dad dropped Sunday while we were having dinner with them? Didn’t you hear him talking about redoing the tile in the kitchen?”“I did, but I had no idea what he was talking about.” Dolf trusted Tal when it came to tools. After all, that was his business.“He all but spelled it out for you. You tuned him out when he started talking tools and renovations, didn’t you?” Tal shook his head. “What would you do without me? He wants a tile saw. If you want to spend a little extra money, we can get him one with a stand. But it’s going to cost you.”Dolf massaged his neck. If Tal said it was going to cost, then it was really going to cost. “How much money?”“For a good one? Upward of a thousand and over.”“I didn’t want to spend quite that much.” Dolf scowled at the tools.“No problem. There are some with stands that are less. Or without stands too. Is that what you want to get him?”“Yeah, yeah, he’ll use that, won’t he? Especially since he likes the do-it-yourself projects.”“He also knows he can call me if he needs help.”“It certainly helps that his son-in-law owns his own construction business.” Dolf thought about it, then made up his mind. “Let’s get that. Uh, where are they?”“I’ll show you. Come on.” Tal walked beside Dolf. “While we’re here, you want to get a new commode kit for your mom’s master bath? She’s been on your dad to fix that.”“I know.” Dolf cut his eyes at an older man who was staring at Tal. He narrowed his eyes, a warning to the human. The other man looked away. Tal, Dolf noticed, didn’t catch the byplay. He never did. “I guess we can get that since we’re here. That’ll save Dad a trip into town.”“The saws are on another aisle. Let’s get that picked out, and then we can get the commode kit.”Dolf picked out the saw he wanted, then followed Tal to another aisle. His mate pointed out the different kinds, but Tal’s words had rapidly faded into a meaningless buzz. There, on the air currents in the store, was the sweetest scent. It was light and flowery, reminding him of honeysuckle. He breathed deeply, taking the scent into himself. His cock hardened immediately and his head spun. A yowl threatened to escape.That scent… that scent was seductive and alluring. It spoke to him, whispering things that made him need. His cat paced frantically in his mind, tail slashing madly. The need to pounce, to sink his canines in and drink that sweet, life-giving blood of his…. His gums tingled and saliva flooded his mouth.He swallowed, then swallowed again as his head pounded, his heart rate spiking as one thought screamed through his mind: Mate! Another mate! Where was that scent coming from? Or who? And by the goddess, why? He already had a mate. What was their goddess thinking, giving him another? But he couldn’t ignore the reaction. It had been the same when he met Tal.A quick glance down the aisle showed a fairly tall, forty-something human male who had a few strands of white in his short brown hair. He was muttering at commode kits. Dolf wanted to roll his eyes. Commode kits? Really? The same thing they were looking for? Their goddess must be having a high old time with this.“Fuck,” he whispered softly. He rarely cussed, except when aroused. Nothing sent his mate whimpering faster than Dolf describing in frank detail how he planned to fuck Tal. He loved hearing Tal’s voice begging… and speaking of that, only then did he notice Tal had stopped talking. Not only had Tal stopped talking, but now he was growling. It was low, but it was a growl, a sound no human would make.“Tal,” Dolf whispered. “Look at me, mate.”Tal’s fists clenched, spasms shaking his arms. “That scent….”“I know. Look at me. You’re growling, and you can’t do that here. Talise!” Dolf’s voice dropped as he snapped out Tal’s full name, power and command flowing from him. His mate was close to losing control right there in a hardware warehouse. “Stop. Now.”


Get ready! On December 26, trouble's gonna be coming your way. The cats are on the prowl, and a human will find more than he ever thought possible—both the good and the bad. 


TheTrouble Comes in Threes
book #1 in the Fur, Fangs, and Felines series

releases 12/26/14

~keep an eye out for the Trouble tour starting the middle of December.

Happy Thanksgiving and a chance to win an Amazon GC!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! For those who celebrate the holiday, did ya know these fun facts? And I have some goodies to talk about, so make sure to check out the whole post, lol.





Fun Facts about Thanksgiving Today
In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations.

Each year, the average American eats somewhere between 16 - 18 pounds of turkey.

Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States.

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.

Although, Thanksgiving is widely considered an American holiday, it is also celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, where it is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season.




*For Thanksgiving, Dreamspinner has marked down everything, so my books are on sale, 
*The Harvest: Taken (2ndedition) will be on sale at ARe from Thanksgiving to Monday.

*And for the holiday, leave me your name and email for a chance to win a $10.00 GC from Amazon! Winner announced Dec 1st.
I hope everyone has a great time, eats way too much, and enjoys the football games. Oh wait, those are my plans lol! Happy Thanksgiving Day, guys!~M

Wednesday Briefs - In Enemy Hands Ch3

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs flash group (click to go to the site). The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. If interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll tell you how. :)Prompts for this week:


“What have we here?”“It’s a money pit.”“What are you looking for?”“X marks the spot.”“Turn the wheel the other way.”“That’s the first I’ve heard about it.”“Let’s get this done.”“Jump to it.”“Make sure everything is cleared away.”“It was a dark and stormy night…”  or use: swamp, metal, beachor use: game, slash, shoreor use: zipper, black, billor have your character slip downor use: hat, mud, branchor have a character jump into a pool.or have a character get a hair cut or have a character eat a hot dogor have a character make a bird house or “Bend over, I’ll show you how thankful I am…”or “It’s my turn to be the Pilgrim this year!”or “For what I am about to receive, I am truly thankful…”or “Go away, I’m watching football…”or “Don’t touch that drumstick!”or “What do you mean there’s no pumpkin pie?”



Chapter Three
“Frack.” Adlar’s loud snarl echoed through the battle shuttle he piloted toward the Yesri crash site.
The Satellite Surveillance Network suffered a complete failure, something that hadn’t happened in recent memory. It was pure chance nothing more than a small Yesri shuttle managed to penetrate their defenses. But even that was a danger, as every spacefaring race knew.
Shuttles had warp engines, and when they blew, the damage was massive. Fortunately, the SSN had reactivated as the shuttle passed through, shorting out its main controls and rendering the crew helpless to wreak whatever destruction they’d planned.
That wasn’t to say the people themselves were helpless.
They weren’t. What they were was a species who enjoyed a battle as much as the next race. But it was their superior, egotistical attitude that caused some to back away from committing to new trade agreements with them. Then the Yesri had turned their greedy eyes toward Helkan. They desired to trade for the Black Phospolrock his people, the Helkans, controlled.
The fact the Helkans didn’t trade with any species didn’t seem to matter. The Yesri’s refused to accept the Helkans decision not to sell, trade, or discuss mining rights to the Black Phospolrock. Both races exchanged unpleasantries, and then the Yesri declared war.
“The gall.” Adlar shook his head as he remembered the flood of insults, then threats, from the Yesri king. “Fracking Yesri’s. It’s our planet to do with as we please. That does not include appeasing your kind.”
Adlar tapped the holographic helm in front of him, bringing up the distance to the crash site. As he drew nearer, he had to admit he was impressed. Whoever had piloted the shuttle was talented. He’d give his enemy that. Such a controlled entry took unshakable nerve and the blessing of a goddess. Which he could use a little of too, since he was next up to land in the small restrictive space.  Adlar called in the location to The Helkan Strategic Command, or HSC. Most soldiers called it Command. Their scans had showed four males on the shuttle. The Yesri had abandoned their starship, using the escapes pods to return home.
They’d let them flee.
But not these four. For some unknown reason, these males targeted the planet, instead of fleeing. They would find that was a mistake. The ones who managed to get to the surface? Well, those males were going to regret their actions.
Adlar maneuvered the battle shuttle, swearing under his breath, as he lowered the craft not far from the crash site. Unstrapping from the pilot chair, he walked to the bay area, where four seasoned warriors waited for him.
“Excellent piloting, sir,” one of the warriors said.
“Thank you.” Adlar nodded to the group. “As you saw in the report, there are four males. Assume they are armed and dangerous. Now pay attention, because I want this clearly understood. Your orders are to capture, not kill.”
A loud groan went up.
Adlar’s lips tried to twitch, but he repressed the urge. “I also expect each of you to return in the condition you leave in. Granted, said condition—for some of you—leaves a bit to be desired.”
Again, a loud groan went up, along with some rather creative suggestions as to what he could do with his ‘condition’. Adlar’s lips did twitch this time. They knew he was joking. These warriors were highly trained, and in top physical shape—they were deadly. 
And he was about to piss off the youngest member of the squad. “Searlolf, I need you to stay and guard the battle shuttle.”
Searlof snapped to attention, his disgruntlement clear on his face. “Oh, come on, sir! Why me?”
“Sorry, newbie, but I’m going on this hunt.” Adlar patted the warrior on the back. Searlolf’s letting his unhappiness with the situation show was something he’d grow out of as he matured. “I know you’re itching to sink your teeth in some juicy Yesri prey, but I need you to stand guard, and be prepared to offer assistance if we’re in need. You have the most medical training.”
Searlolf nodded, emotions contained. “Understood, sir.”
“Good” Adlar turned back to the rest of the group. “As I said, orders are to bring them in alive and in good condition. You may defend yourselves, of course, but each of you knows how to do so without causing irreparable damage. Understood?”
“Understood,” they yelled.
“Move out, then.” Adlar watched as the men faded into the jungle.
He didn’t believe the hunt would take long. The Yesri intruders were unused to the darkness that covered their planet the majority of the time. As such, they hadn’t developed adaptations like elongated ears to catch the faintest of sounds, or slitted pupils that adjusted to both low and bright levels of illumination.
Due to the amount of sunlight the planet Yesri received, it inhabitants were all tanned. They were also all blond—which would draw attention in a land full of darkness. Stepping outside, his pupils enlarged, and he removed his stunner. He scanned the area, satisfied all was as it should be. He moved steadily through the jungle, caution leading his steps.
Approaching the abandoned Yesri shuttle, he crouched behind a twisted lavender tree with weeping limbs. Listening carefully, he searched for any sounds that did not belong. The wildlife chirped and called in its usual song of nightfall. Outside of the normal noise, he heard nothing to indicate his enemy was nearby.
Surveying the area, he saw the shuttle had left a long gorge where it slid before coming to a halt, throwing dirt everywhere. He hated the scar on the landscape. Environment was an issue of the upmost important to his species. It was the main reason only they mined the Black Phospolrock in the most noninvasive method possible.
Adlar knelt and touched the destruction. The land would heal itself—they’d make sure of that. A flash of something—a color not found in the landscape—caught his eye.
Frowning, he shifted the rich dirt through his fingers. “What…?”
As he dug, his hands touched something. Grasping it, he slowly uncovered what the dirt hid.

“Well, well, well. What have we here?” Adlar pulled the red sash from the grime. A hard smile covered his face.


TBC
Carol PedrosoNephylimVictoria AdamsAvery DawesKazy ReedJim DunawayCaraway CarterElyzabeth VaLeyCia NordwellTali SpencerJon KeysJulie Lynn Hayes