Aldrea Alien's Blog, page 10

Rainbow Snippets: Taking the kinder route.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet where Tracker asked Dylan if it would’ve helped to find his friend’s remains…

“Yes,” Dylan snapped. “No? I don’t know.” He whirled on his heel. The extra momentum stirred up another gust that neatly sliced a sapling in half. The man jumped back, his shield flickering to life. He eyed the damage as though never having witnessed his magic lash out unheeded before. “I-I didn’t mean to—”

“Steady.” Tracker reached towards the man’s shoulder, stopping before his hand touched the barrier. He could pass through it easily enough, but the last thing Dylan needed was more pain.

It was for that reason he hadn’t done any further speculations on the possibility of some having escaped. Having Dylan cling to the hope of his friends’ surviving without solid evidence would be far crueller than letting the man mourn those deaths.

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: Would it have helped?

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

The man nodded. He bit his lip, his chin wobbling.

“I apologise,” Tracker murmured, bowing his head. He shouldn’t have mentioned the tower. “It was not my intention to further upset you.”

“I know.” The admission was thick with unshed tears. He sniffed loudly, scrubbing at his face. “I can’t stop thinking about it. How trapped everyone was. How terrified their last moments would have been. And I couldn’t even find them. Not a damn trace!” Magic flickered briefly around the man. A gust of wind Tracker couldn’t feel rustled the surrounding bushes, scattering the wildlife that hadn’t already scurried off at their passing.

“Would it have helped if you had?”

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: Inevitable bonds.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

He didn’t doubt the spellster was less emotional under normal circumstances, that didn’t mean Tracker was less inclined to offer his support. And not for the reason the man thought. “Duty,” he mused aloud. If he was to follow hound law to the letter, the only state Dylan’s head would be in was separate from his body. “Truthfully, I had considered us as travelling companions. Or maybe friends?”

“Friends?” Dylan echoed, finally lowering his face from the canopy to regard Tracker.

“Did you not say you were close to several people? I assumed that means you were allowed such relationships in the tower, yes?” They didn’t foster the idea amongst the hounds, especially when it came to the uninitiated pups, but such bonds were inevitable.

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: Handling himself.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

The owl that had made so much noise earlier had vanished. Tracker longed for its return, for anything that would break up the slow crunch of their boots or the scrabbling of little feet scampering about the undergrowth at their passage.

He hoped the silence gave the spellster some measure of peace. There wasn’t much else he could offer out here that didn’t include distracting him with sex, and Dylan had already given his opinion on that option.

Eventually, Dylan exhaled in one drawn-out breath. The rigidity of his form relaxed, lowering his shoulders and returning the litheness to his stride. “I know it’s your duty to look after my well-being, but you don’t need to be so thorough. I can handle myself well enough.”

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: The suggestion of smoke.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

They walked beneath the trees, Dylan wordlessly uncoupling their arms along the way. The spellster’s head tipped back, his focus either on the canopy or the stars beyond, clearly having no desire to speak further.

As much as Tracker knew that talking would help the man vent some of his frustrations and guilt, he didn’t want to push. Everything was still raw. He would should it be required, if only to keep Dylan from suppressing his grief until he exploded.

The forest remained no less quiet than it had been during his last check. Cool air ghosted along his temples, absent of the smoke that had permeated much of their travels. The suggestion of it still clung to his clothes. Burning wood and parchment, overlaid by the jerkin’s natural leather smell and the musk of a day’s travel.

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: Out of his own head.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

Dylan’s gaze flicked towards the tents. He stood, slowly, as though his bones had forgotten how to move, a mirthless smile thinning his lips. “You’re trying to get me away from them. In case I do something stupid.”

“Not at all.” He didn’t believe the man would willingly bring any harm to others, but the state of his mind was tenuous and Tracker had come across a lot of accidental tragedies caused by such a combination of strong magic and high emotions. “I am simply trying to get you out of your own head.” Between their impromptu intimacy last night, setting fire to the tower and their travelling, the man hadn’t been given much space to calm his mind.

Linking their arms, Tracker casually guided Dylan away from the fire, noting how the flames shifted from a translucent blue to their original brassy hue the moment the man’s full attention turned elsewhere.

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: Enjoyable company.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

“The perimeter is due to be checked again.” Tracker unhurriedly got to his feet. He looked around the camp, marking the lack of change, before offering the spellster his hand. “Come, walk with me.”

Dylan didn’t move. Nor did he utter a sound. He just stared into flames that grew bluer with heat.

“If anything, the cool air will aid in calming your feverish mind.”

Slowly, the man’s head tilted up at him. Those dark eyes reflected the firelight so perfectly, that they looked molten. “You don’t need me to help with checking anything.”

“No,” he agreed. “But I enjoy the company.”

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: Still meant to be cared for.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

Dylan gave a derisive snort. “I was never a warrior. None of us were. I don’t know why they trained us to think we could be when the army never saw us as anything more than weapons.”

Tracker recalled similar words from his fellow hound, Fetcher. He wished he’d believed her sooner. Wished there’d been something either of them could have done without their mistress knowing.

“And I was terrible at that, too.” The spellster laughed, the sound carrying only heartache. “Weapons aren’t supposed to feel, they’re not meant to care that the soldier fighting alongside them fell trying to keep them alive.” The campfire flared, spitting and sparking as though pig fat dripped onto the embers. “You don’t see a sword getting weepy over the dead.”

They are still meant to be cared for, though. Whether the weapon be of steel or magic, the army did a terrible job of looking after either. Nor did he believe the outcome would have changed.

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: More than warriors.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

“You know what the worst thing is?” Dylan asked, continuing before Tracker could compose himself enough to give anything close to a reply. “She’s right. I hadn’t seen battle, not even a skirmish, before that ambush and look how well that went.” He flung his arm in a southerly direction as though the decimated grounds of the army encampment sat mere hours away, instead of weeks. “How am I supposed to help, to fight, anyone if I fall apart after every battle?”

“That is not true.” They hadn’t encountered much resistance during their journey to the tower, a few bandits that had underestimated their prey, nothing serious. Dylan had handled each altercation well, despite using a meagre amount of his power. “Even if it was, the world needs more than warriors.”

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!

Rainbow Snippets: A liability?

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation.

Being a sequel, In Love and Death is set directly after In Pain and Blood. Some snippets will contain spoilers of those events.

Following last week’s snippet…

“Authril does. She says I got over the army attack quickly enough, that this shouldn’t be any different.” He bowed his head, picking at the ragged ends of his robe. “That I’m a liability if I can’t.”

Heat suffused Tracker’s body, his every muscle tightening with the call to attack. A liability? Dylan? He glared at the tent harbouring the woman in question. Authril hadn’t uttered much in his presence, certainly not something so callous. A part of him wished she had, if only to give him cause to retaliate in the moment.

I’ll see you all with more from In Love and Death next week. In the meantime, check out these other snippets.

If you’re looking for more news of my books, be sure to “Like” my Facebook page and/or join me in my Facebook group!