Skye Ritchey's Blog

Sunday Snippet: Order of Aggression

Whew. What a week. Wehave some actual fall weather, and I love it. Who knows how long it will last.Pretty sure we'll have at least one more heat-up before December and theofficial start of winter.

Had another busywork week because I'm still playing catch up from being under the weather in lateSeptember. I finished a very challenging copy edit of a 95k-word manuscript.Great story with a lot going on.

Update on ourdoggo. She's doing so much better. She's still a little congested, but shefinished her round of antibiotics and the steroid seems to be helping also. Ofcourse, she's drinking a ton of water, which means we're going out for pottybreaks about two times her normal rate.

Had a very slowviewing week. The challenging copy edit required a lot of focus. But I did makeit most of the way through my regular shows.

Started again with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. Enjoyed the episode because it's one Iremembered and loved on my original run through.

Caught anotherepisode of Foyle's War and enjoyed watching again. I'd forgotten some ofthe key moments in this one. Sam sure struggled a bit to find another place to stayafter her rooming house got bombed.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Really glad to see Mervin figure out hismom's murder and also so happy to see Mr. Sterling Fox get his walking papers. Smarmyjerk.

Watched anotherepisode of Poirot. I always enjoy when Miss Lemon gets involved in acase. Watching Hasting completely destroy her filing system—after she told himnot to touch anything—made me laugh out loud. In his defense, he'd already halfwaytrashed it before he spoke to her.

Elementary had another solid episode. It's veryinteresting to watch Sherlock interact with Moreland. So much trauma to unpackbetween them.

I didn't get tocheck in with Batman Beyond or Lower Decks this week. I'm hopingto get a full run this upcoming week.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Order of Aggression, a novella thatputs a couple in jeopardy when they have to take an enemy outpost.

Here's theminiblurb:

When AmesBraddock is ordered to take out an enemy outpost with possible civiliancasualties, he calls on Parker Hart to be his second, but Parker balks at theidea. Ames isn't thrilled with the mission, but he needs Parker and he's notabove using aggression to bring her in line, which gets the job done, but alsobackfires when she demands satisfaction.

And a previewsnippet…

Ames blinked. "Gonna suck morethan huge hairy balls. You're insane if you think we can get in throughthere." His brain hurt thinking about it.Parker tilted her head toward oneshoulder. "This whole idea is madness personified. Don't bitch at me aboutwhat it's gonna take to pull it off…" She didn't add more.Because she didn't need to. They'dbe very lucky if they walked away. Her way in? Super complicated and wouldrequire intense focus. But … the element of surprise appealed to him on a deeplevel. This wouldn't be a force strike. It would be surgically precise.Parker's voice cut through histhoughts. "What about the normies? You know I don't like letting them getcaught in the crossfire."Ames didn't relish civilian losseseither. "We'll do what we can to avoid loss of life … but you're right.They won't leave unscathed." He paused a moment. "Honestly, Parks. Mostof them know the risks. Hell, that's why a lot of them go to Fifth Street."He got up and paced back and forth. "We'll do the recon, figure out thebest time to hit the place to minimize collateral damage, and strikethen." Grabbing his jacket, he glanced over his shoulder. "Youcoming?" He didn't wait for her reply because she'd want to verifyeverything with her own eyes.She followed him out the door."I'm gonna suggest we plan for a Sunday evening. Most of the normals haveto work during the week. Traffic will be much lighter in the bar then."Crossing the street with him, her gait slowed when they came to the cornerdeli. "Hey, I'm gonna grab some essentials. We could be there for awhile." This time she didn't wait for a reply, pulling the door open andentering the shop.Ames went back over the blueprintsin his mind. The labyrinth of tunnels and duct work they'd have to use foraccess to the Fifth Street Saloon would take hours to get through, especiallybecause they'd have to make sure the black mages hadn't set traps up thereeither.The idea of spending close to afull day then needing the energy to take the outpost down hurt his brain. Hehad a solution to that, but Parker would absolutely hate it. Better keep theplan under wraps for now. Maybe a different alternative would reveal itselfwhile they did recon.Parker exited the deli with twobags of food and drinks. Ames fell into step beside her and enjoyed therelative peace on the walk to the saloon.Because that quiet calm wouldn'tlast once he broke the news about the method they'd be using to achieve theirgoal.

This story is kindof taking on a life of its own, which I'm actually okay with.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Order in the Court

Hello October and welcomespooky season! I love this month for a lot of reasons. The spooky vibe beingclose to the top of the list, but it's quickly followed by cooler weather—usually—andthat means it's soup weather! I love making soup on a cool day and savoring it withcrusty breads, grilled cheese, and other creative toppings.

I'm through theworst of the yuck and back to almost normal. Of course, that means something elsewent sideways. In my case, our older doggo ended up with an emergency trip tothe vet because her congestion got so bad her eye swelled up. She's on a steroidand broad-spectrum antibiotic and already seems to be much better already.

I'm slowly gettingcaught up on my work projects. I need to review the details of two new ones nowthat my brain isn't in sludge mode. I'm pretty excited about my last quarter ofwork projects for 2025.

Had an okay viewingweek. I didn't quite make it through the whole slate of shows. Lower Decksand Reacher didn't make this week's window.

I did watch anotherepisode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm working my way throughseason two and I'm enjoying the conflict and tension because it's a real-lifequandary. I love Mac for being a voice of reason.

Caught another Foyle'sWar episode and this is one I'd forgotten. It's so weird how a lot of thethemes of this show, which is twenty-some odd years old, are so very prevalenttoday. Humans are slow learners sometimes.

Death in Paradise ended up being very enjoyable. I'm reallynot sure about this new police commissioner other than he's way too smarmy andutter unlikable.

Poirot entertained with a way back episode showinghow Hastings and Poirot kind of got their start together. Very much enjoyedthis one.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and quite enjoyed the twisty turns it took. Alsoloved Joan solving the neighbor issue. Love to see that kind of stuff.

Caught another BatmanBeyond and it's one I didn't really remember either. Quite enjoyed therewatch.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Order in the Court, a sexy shortabout how a succubus and a shape shifter keep things interesting.

Here's theminiblurb:

Mace Ormondson, a fae prince, presides over the dailycourt grievances and disputes. When a new advocate, Nessa Goff, is appointed itturns Mace's world upside down and sideways, because Nessa happens to be thebane of his existence and a huge pain in his ass.

And a preview snippet…

Mace Ormondson stepped into theback alley behind Dandy Jim's and revised his facial features, changing from ablond wizard into the dark-haired fae prince he'd been since birth. Dan stuck his head outside the backdoor. "Always nice to have you, Mace. But it's extra specialtonight." His eyebrows waggled, a trademark gesture. "Puts on ahelluva show, doesn't she?" He made a low growling sound.Mace's lips quirked. "That shedoes, Danny boy." Mace hoped she got what she needed.But he couldn't stick around tofind out. Not tonight. Which kind of broke Mace's heart … because he definitelysported a massive hard-on after watching that spectacular, sexy striptease.With every extra hip bump or breast bounce she added because the spectatorswere so into the dance, Mace grew longer and harder to the point of needingrelief soon.But she exited the stage leavingeveryone, male and female, salivating for more and hoping for one last glimpseof the gorgeous Nessa. The shouts for an encore hadn't died down yet. No doubtshe basked on the continued surge of energy.Mace tipped his chin toward thebuilding. "You'll make sure she gets home safe and sound?" He trustedDan to personally escort Nessa.Not so much because she neededprotection … she could defend herself if necessary. Mace relied on Dan becausethe two men had been friends since childhood and Dan could read Nessa'sfluctuating levels of chi better than anyone. The idea she had about beingmonogamous might be dangerous to her.Hell, it's perilous to me.Especially when he couldn't takecare of his reaction until he got home … on the other side of the city.Dan stepped outside and leaned inclose. "You're a shapeshifter, dumbass. Transform. Find a canopy of trees,change back, and take care of your problem." He rolled his eyes."Sometimes, the royal blood you carry is really obvious." With a slapon Mace's back, Dan went back inside the club.Mace snorted. "There's areason he's my best friend." Ducking behind a dumpster, Mace changed intoa hawk and soared upward, flying to the east where Menlow Park not only had agorgeous stand of maple trees, it also had a large lookout station hidden inthe leaves.Mace landed smoothly in thethree-room blind and shifted back into human form. He found a comfortable spot ona camp cot and got down to the business at hand. Grasping the heavy length ofhis cock, he curled his fingers around the girth and firmly tugged back andforth to images of Nessa losing each and every one of those filmy veils.

Having so much funwriting this one. Mace is a little trapped by his royal blood and it'sinteresting to write that aspect of his character.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Orange Gaius

Yeah, rough week.The cold, virus, some other kind of ick from the last post definitely kicked myass this week. I did manage one of my client calls but had to reschedule theother one. I had no voice and couldn't breathe through all the congestion.Bleh.

The good news isI'm feeling much better. I think everything kind of broke on Friday. I slept agood portion of the day on Saturday. And my head doesn't feel like it weighsninety pounds anymore.

I got very littleaccomplished on my work projects last week. I got some reading done but I'll probablyreview to make sure I didn't miss anything in my notes. I didn't get a lot ofediting completed mainly because I feared missing important things. Back towork this week at double-time.

I had an okayviewing week. Very nice to have something on in the background while I tried tofocus on the few things I managed to work on.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. I loved this episode because it marked the firsttime Jack owned his feelings for Phryne. I also love that he didn't evenconsider the possibility of trying to use his feelings to change her or ask herto be something she isn't. That's one of the reasons this show holds such a bigplace in my heart.

Caught another episodeof Foyle's War. I remembered this one and appreciated how it didn't shyaway from there being good and bad people and things at the beginning of thewar in England.

Watched another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm warming up to Wilson and I'm enjoying howNaomi is finding her footing with him. I also love Rose and ability to stumble ontoexactly what they need for the case. I'm looking forward to Wilson and Naomidigging into his mother's death, which does appear to be more than a tragicaccident.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. I like it when the mystery isn't a murder, but it'sstill twisted and tricky. And I love Hastings. Just saying.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary. It's kind of nice to see Sherlock interested insomeone so neurodivergent. Did seem weird that Joan went middle-school student onthe idea, but maybe the writers were trying to show their progression? I likedthe mystery with this one.

Watched another BatmanBeyond. I actually didn't remember this episode so it was nice to dive intoa new-to-me story.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks. I might be past the hump on the annoying factor.Great to see Boimler back with the crew and I love the reason for it. I trulydo enjoy the callbacks to previous series and episodes. That's so much fun.

Finished up the episodeof Reacher I started last week. I'm excited to see what this seasonbrings. I'm also trying to remember that two plus years have passed since thelast time Reacher and Neaghly were together.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from The Orange Gaius, a sexyshort that got a start with a writing community prompt and features thecharacters from A Little Yule Magick.

Here's theminiblurb:

Sygin Ball and Boyd Lagassi return from spring break andfind the entire campus town raving about a drink called the Orange Giaus. Aftertrying this amazing concoction and finding it horribly bitter, the couplesuspects foul play when their colleagues and friends display signs of lethargyand general malaise. Sygin and Boyd race the clock to prevent someone'snefarious plans from coming to fruition.

And a preview snippet…

Sygin Ball tiptoed across the slateentryway to the front door of the manor house.She twisted the deadbolt and lether partner Boyd Legassi inside while putting a finger to her lips.Boyd arched a brow and whispered,"Why are we being quiet?" He carefully set their luggage on the tiledfloor.Sygin kept her voice low."We're late getting back from spring break, and the entire house is silent… that's beyond weird." Especially after a dust up with their opposingside of mages over the solstice holiday.Boyd did a slow nod. "Okay,I'll give you that one." He left the bags and made his way toward thedining hall.After peeking inside and finding itempty, he came back.Sygin clicked her tongue againsther teeth. "Yeah, see? If nothing else, I kind of expected a greetingparty because we didn't call ahead to let anyone know we'd be a day later thanexpected." The reason being the only irresponsible thing they'd done overtheir ten-day excursion.They literally overslept and missedthe shifting of the veils to get back to the estate.Boyd shrugged. "It's a littlestrange no one is here, but maybe everyone is holed up at one of the halls? Or… what if something happened while we were gone?" A notch of worry creptinto his voice.Sygin lifted her chin. "Yeah.Come on. We'd better do a quick look around outside and make sure everything'sokay." She relocked the deadbolt and headed for the side entrance she'dcome through.Boyd left their bags and followedher. "Let's not read too much into this." He draped an arm around hershoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple.Sygin leaned her head on hisshoulder. "Yeah. Easier said and all that." Too many rumblings aboutretaliation to completely let their guard down.Which didn't bode well for easingback into work mode after taking extending time off.

Kind of excited tosee where this one goes. I have the general idea mapped out and I hope it worksout the way I want.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Oracle's Prayer

Ugh. I'm fighting something,a cold, a virus, some other kind of ick. Not having fun with it at all. I havetwo client calls this week and I'm hoping I can manage both.

We got back up inthe high eighties this week. Supposed to have some rain on Monday or Tuesdayand I'm kind of excited for that. We definitely need it. The drought has beenupgraded to moderate.

Not a bad workweek. I'm almost finished with one of my work projects and making solid headwayon another that should be complete by the end of October. I start a new onesometime early in October and I'm looking forward to working on that one. I'llfind out if another new project will be starting on Tuesday.

Had a semi-decent viewingweek. Between not feeling the best and trying to finish up work projects, Ididn't know if I'd be able to watch much. But I made it through my usual showsand got to watch the back-burner ones also.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and quite enjoyed the rewatch. It's one Iremembered from my original run through. Being in the US, it's fun to watch howfooty affects those that have a long, long history with the sport.

Caught another episodeof Foyle's War. This show is so well written, and I love the cast. Somany super young actors who have gone on to amazing roles.

Watched a new Deathin Paradise. I'm slowly coming around on Wilson. I think he might make a goodaddition to the team. The new police officer is also kind of growing on me. Ilove that he kind of came up with the solution to keeping Selwyn in his job.

Enjoyed another Poirot.Kind of leading everyone on a merry chase but keep them from going to Francewas very entertaining. Loved how Japp kept thinking he'd be losing his pension.

Caught another episodeof Elementary. I very much like the Joan and Sherlock vibe this season. Reallynot sure what's going on with the stalker detective but I hope Joan watches herback.

Watched another BatmanBeyond and didn't really remember this one. I have a vague memory of the conversationbetween Terry and Barbara but that's kind of all I remembered.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks. The opener for season two ended up beingentertaining. I really do appreciate the callbacks to all the other series. Funbit with Boimler at the end.

Finished up theepisode of Peak Practice I started a few weeks ago. Sam is going to bein a lot of trouble and I'm not sure I'm going to like how things go down withhim.

Also finallystarted season two of Reacher. I'm almost finished with the first episode,but I had to pause because of the whole cold / virus / yuck thing going on.Should finish it up this week. I think the very best moment so far is the Terminatoreaster egg. Kudos to the writer of the episode for that!

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Oracle's Prayer, a novellathat explores two people on opposite sides and how they arrived in the middletogether.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nason Forn, the daughter of an oracle, goes undercover totrap a wicked mage preying on young apprentices and thinks she's found her manwhen she discovers Lane Garganess standing over the body of the latest victim.But Lane has a covert identity, too, which puts him in a bad spot and on thewrong end of Nason's wrath.

And a preview snippet…

Nason rushed toward the abbey whereone of the trainees lived. She couldn't fight the feeling of something being terriblywrong. As in the dirty, bad wrong of danger. Her mother said Lena Carsale nevermissed a training session.Nason shuffled through her memory."Long, dark hair. Tiny. Very funny." She'd only met Lena once whenthey crossed paths after Lena finished up a ritual with Paloma.But she'd been regaling Nason's momwith the story of her first interpretation failure and she'd had such ahumorous outlook on the gaffe. Paloma praised her for admitting the novicemistake and not giving up.Nason darted up the steps to theabbey's front door. "I liked meeting Lena." Georgie also spoke highlyof her fellow apprentice.Nason tried all the rooms on thefirst floor and came up empty. "It figures." She double-timed takingthe stairs to the second level.Gut instinct—and quiet stillness—hadher bypassing the floor and heading for the spiral staircase that led to thetwo chambers on the third story of the house. They were used for meditation andscrying. The door to the room on the left stood open with no light coming fromwithin. The one on the right had a dim glow coming from beneath the closedpanel. Nason made a sharp turn, quicklytwisted the knob, stumbled into the chamber and stopped short. A robed manstood over the prone—and no doubt dead—apprentice. She hadn't made it in time.Dammit, dammit, dammit.Her less than quiet entrance drewthe man's attention and he slowly angled around, attempting to face her. Thinkingquickly, she cast a binding spell and halted his progress. She darted forwardand threw back his hood, wanting to look into the eyes of the monster beforeshe choked the life out of him with her bare hands.But when she stepped away, a gaspescaped her throat. "You!" Lane Gargamell?Shocked, she lost control of thebinding spell, and he lunged, grasping her biceps in a biting grip.He said one word."Sleep." His gaze flashed with mage fire.She had one fleeting thought. Aw,shit.Her eyes slammed shut and her worldwent dark.

I'm very excitedabout this one. I love writing characters who think they're enemies but they'renot.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Oracle's Apprentice

Whew. It's been aweek. I won't comment on the political spectrum at the moment but it's mentallydraining to say the least. The good news is I got a couple of projects finishedup and I'm taking that as a win because of the whole brain drain.

Our weather lastweek was very fall-like and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We're back to higher temperaturesagain but that's pretty typical. We definitely need some rain. I'd even take anasty thunderstorm to get some at this point.

As mentioned, I finishedup two projects and have a small break before the next one begins. I'm takingadvantage to dive deeper into a couple of my manuscripts. It's fun to revisitwhat I've already completed.

Had a decent viewingweek. Even if a little distracted. I made it through my usual stable of showsfor the most part. Did not get to either backburner shows.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. One of my favorite episodes for Jack and Phryne chemistry.I also love how deep of a hole Hugh digs for himself.

Began a rewatch ofa favorite comfort show with Foyle's War. It's been years since I'veseen any of the episodes and I'm looking forward to diving back into this show.

Caught another Deathin Paradise and I have to say I love Darlene so much. Her interactions withPatterson blew me away. The mystery ended up being pretty interesting also.Kind of a heartbreaking moment with Wilson but I think there's more to the storyof his mom's death.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. Fun to see the FBI show up to work with Japp and veryfun to see Hastings think fast on his feet when creating a diversion forPoirot.

Elementary had a very interesting episode. I'm sointrigued by Moreland's journey this season. I haven't quite figured out if he'sgenuine or not and I kind of feel like he's not completely sure either, which Ilike. A lot.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and it's one I have vague memories of, mainlybecause it was a fun episode. Nice to see Howard back also.

Finished the first seasonfinale of Lower Decks and after a rough start rather enjoyed the episode.And it left off with enough of a what just happened vibe that I'm interested inseason two. My one hope is Mariner won't annoy me so much in season two. We'llsee what happens.

Still hoping to getseason two of Reacher underway this week. A lot will depend on what thework calendar ends up looking like. I have two client Zoom meetings and have noidea how long either will last.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Oracle's Apprentice, a novella thatbrings a couple back together when a precognitive dreams spells disaster.

Here's theminiblurb:

When Opal Cantell, an oracle's apprentice, has aprecognitive dream about an impending attack on the fae glade, no one believesher—not the oracle, the elders, or the council. Link Novak is the only one totake her seriously and the duo works together to stop a gnome uprising beforeit starts.

And a preview snippet…

Opal Cantrell slapped her hand onthe table. "I'm telling you my dream is precognitive. The gnomes areplanning an uprising." Why wouldn't the oracle believe her?Justina Eldrich shook her head."Opal, you've been training and observing, learning and studying very hardfor the past six months. It's understandable you'd have what you think is aprecognitive dream. You're living and breathing the oracle tenets of prophecy,divination, forewarning, and vision quests." She paused a moment and gaveOpal a commiserating glance. "But you haven't moved into soothsaying,interpretation, or reading outcomes yet. You're getting ahead ofyourself." She settled back in her chair and picked up her mug of tea.Opal bit back a scream offrustration. "Madam Eldrich, I'm not trying to be disrespectful when I saythis, but I know my dream is real. I feel it all the way to the marrowof my bones. Didn't you say that's a sign the energy is pure?" How couldshe make the head oracle believe her?Justina pursed her lips and took along moment before responding. "Opal, I think you might be confusing pureenergy with the excitement and anticipation of being my apprentice." Shelifted a shoulder. "You're not quite at the level of being able to discernthe difference between the two." Setting her mug down, she leaned forward."There haven't been any signs that the gnomes are disgruntled or unhappywith their status in the glade." Reaching out, she patted Opal's hand.Opal's shoulders slumped. "Iguess you're right. Thank you for seeing me." She resisted the urge toyank her hand away but got to her feet and gave the older woman a nod."I'll return on Monday for our regular studies." With as much dignityas possible, she made her way to the door and exited the oracle's abode.When she reached the end of thewalk, she gave rein to her temper and silently raged at the skies. Everythingin her screamed the dream she had pointed to a dangerous and savage uprising …but her mentor didn't believe her.Trudging toward her small cottage,she had one continuous thought. "I know I'm right. This will not endwell." For any of them.

This story is justgetting started and I'm so excited to see where it goes.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Only When They Blink

September isstarting off with a bang. And crazy busy. Also a full blood moon, which is alwaysfun to see.

Spent all day Saturdayin Hocking Hills with a group of cousins on my mom's side of the family. Wehave so much fun when we get together. We're already planning the third annualgathering for next year.

I finished up twowork projects this week and made progress on two more. I have a new onestarting this week also. Possibly two. I'm hoping the due dates are a littlemore staggered.

Had an okay viewingweek. I made it almost all the way through my usual slate of shows with theexception of Lower Decks. I started it but need to finish it up. It'sthe first season finale so there seems to be a lot going on.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and it's one I really enjoyed on my original runthrough. Always fun to see Dot stand up for not only herself but others.

Finished up seasonfour of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Very happy to see Jean and Dom workthrough their issues. Loved how Dom proposed and how everyone knew they weremeant to be together.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. I'm interested in where things will gowith Selwyn. The new officer is going to be fun. I love the vibe he has. DIWilson might or might not grow on me.

Enjoyed another episodeof Poirot. The entire trip to the coast just to hear good things insteadof bad from Japp is such a Poirot thing to do. And the side plot with Lemon wasfun.

Elementary had an interesting case along with aninteresting side case. I like how Moreland reached out to Joan, and she figuredthings out with what's going on with him. And I love that she told Sherlock.Also really thrilled Sherlock met the character on the autism spectrum at herlevel, seemingly with care and patience.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and I didn't remember much of this one. Endedup quite enjoying it.

Started the LowerDecks episode. I do enjoy how many easter eggs are in this show. Mentionsof other characters and episodes from all the various series are so much fun.

I didn't get tostart season two of Reacher. I'm hoping I have the time this week, butI'm not going to rush in. I like to be able to focus on this show.

Also didn't get to finishup the Peak Practice episode I started, but I'll get back to it soon.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Only When They Blink, atwist on the Princess and the Pea story.

Here's the miniblurb:

Hale Easterson has fae blood running in his veins, but hewon't follow the family old school traditions and mate by the designated age.He escapes to his private lake house to find an unconscious Winter Sorn, abeautiful woman, sprawled on his doorstep and realizes he may not be able to avoidwhat destiny has in store.

And a preview snippet…

Winter tossed and turned, agitatingaching muscles. Swirling images floated in her mind. Curled up on the floor,booted feet kicking at her. A harrowing escape after being thrown from a movingcar. Cold ground under her hands and knees. Collapsing on wooden steps … soclose to a beckoning light.Her eyes snapped open, and astrangled gasp struggled up from her chest. "No!" She tried to sit up,but agony tore through her body.A warm hand nudged her back down. "Hey.Stay still. You're hurt." The voice filled the quiet room.She angled her head toward thesound. "Where am I?" Her throat hurt and she remembered Butchie'spalm wrapped around her neck right before he shoved her out the door.And swallowing dirt when shelanded. She coughed, still tasting the earthy remnants.A cup of water appeared in front ofher and a hand clasped her shoulder helping her to sit up. "You're in asafe place. No one knows you're here." The glass touched her lips.She swallowed the cool liquid inseveral gulps then cleared her throat. "Thank you." She finallylooked up and blinked at the visage before her.A man with dark hair that brushedhis shoulders sat beside the bed. A red T-shirt fit snugly across his chest,and his jeans were well worn and hugged his thighs. His green eyes weredirectly assessing her, narrowed in their perusal.His chin lifted. "Huh. Theyare blue." He set the cup aside on a nightstand.She frowned. What did the color ofher eyes have to do with anything? And why could she not get comfortable inthis bed?The man spoke again. "You havea large bump on the back of your head. You're bruised and banged up." Hislips flattened to a thin line. "And someone kicked the shit out of you tothe point they drew blood. I cleaned and dressed the wound for now." Heheld her gaze for a long moment. "I don't know who the hell you pissed offor if they're looking for you, but for the moment, you've got some breathingroom." He leaned back in the chair. "Wanna tell me how you ended upon my doorstep?" His brows arched.She really didn't. But she owed hima debt of gratitude for taking her in. Even if the bed he put her in added toher discomfort.Smoothing her hands over theblanket covering her, she gave him the short version. "I ended up herebecause I got thrown out of a moving car by the two men who did this to me.They're not the ones I pissed off. That would be … actually, I don't know whoit is, but he owns the Black Stiletto." Her eyes closed when a dull throbstarted in her temples. "The good news is I'm pretty sure he thinks I'mdead." No doubt Martin and Butchie would tell him that anyway.The man frowned again. "That'sthe good news?"Winter's lips twisted. "It isif it means they're not going to be looking for me." She still wanted tofind out who held the reins of power.The tilted his head to one side."Fair point." He got to his feet. "You should get some rest.I'll check on you in four hours. I'd like the swelling to go down a little morebefore you take anything for the pain." He started for the door.Winter didn't think she'd be ableto rest, but she'd try. "Thank you, again … uh … I don't even know yourname…" Or anything else about him for that matter.Her rescuer flashed a smile."Name's Hale. Call out if you need anything."Winter turned his name over in hermind then nodded. "Hale. I'm Winter." She pulled the blanket up overher and snuggled into the bed.And still couldn't get comfortable.

I'm adding a fewsmall twists to the original tale and having so much fun while doing it.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: One of These Things

Geez, August hasbeen a brutal month. The last week in particular. Not sure why, but I struggledhard, couldn't stay focused, and generally feel like I didn't get anythingaccomplished. Bleh.

Weirdly, theweather has been amazing. We need rain in a big way, but the temperatures weremild, which is a blessing. Actually had to break out a jacket and leggingsbecause it got chilly at night.

Work projects arein a weird state of flux. I have a lot on my plate, and I hopped aroundmultiple projects because of the aforementioned struggle to stay focused. Ireally hope I can get back on task this week.

I didn't get towatch the season two opener of Reacher, but I did make it through mostof my regular shows. The first week of September is a chaos monster so I'm notsure if I'll get to make it through my regular slate of shows. Fingers crossed.

I did start theweek with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the rewatch. Alwaysfun when Phryne and company go on trips.

Caught another episodeof Madame Blanc Mysteries. I liked the mystery and my heart broke forDom and Jean. But Jean was spot on with telling Dom he might not be ready to bea couple.

Watched the openingto season fourteen Death in Paradise. Still not sure if I'm down withthe new guy. He might grow on me, and I do like how Naomi and Darlene holdtheir own with him.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. Very fun to see him solve the mystery while notleaving his apartment. And I do think he quite loves to put Hastings inhorribly embarrassing positions.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary. I really like it when Joan and Sherlock team upto help their extended group. Detective Bell's dilemma being resolved ended upbeing a lot of fun.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond. I didn't fully remember this one, so I enjoyed gettingreacquainted with it.

The episode of LowerDecks I watched is hopefully a turning point. Mariner makes me absolutelybonkers, which I'm pretty sure is the whole point. Here's hoping she can dialit back about ten clicks and I can finally settle in and like the character.

I did almost makeit through an episode of Peak Practice that I started a couple of weeksago. Sam is headed for a very bad place, which makes sense since his run isalmost finished. Hoping to get the rest of the episode watched this week.

That's it for the lifeupdate this week. Tonight's post is from One of These Things, a novellathat puts a spin on the ugly duckling story.

Here's theminiblurb:

Tanis Watts comes of age in the human world but discoversshe has fae abilities. When she's caught between warring factions, she falls inwith the wrong side and barely escapes with her life. Seeking sanctuary, shelands on Falco Corsair's doorstep and runs headfirst into her destiny.

And a preview snippet…

Tanis remained silent until herrescuer led her through a hidden access point in the main wall of the estate."Now that we're clear, let me thank you and suggest you get as far awayfrom here as possible." She glanced over her shoulder. "Do you haveany idea how big the steaming pile is you just stepped in?" Especially forsaving her.The guy gave a terse nod. "Iwas you five years ago, so yeah, I've got a pretty solid picture of theshitstorm I've unleashed." He nodded toward the card she still heldclasped between her fingers. "Go to Innispoint. They'll grant sanctuary."He shrugged. "At least they did for me."Tanis turned the small rectangleover in her hand. "You're a member of the White then?" The LightKeepers—counterpoint to the Dark Guard—kept a residence at Innispoint.The man snorted. "Not likely. Asa midliner, I'm neutral. But when I got rescued, I made a promise to helpwhenever I got the call." He met her gaze. "I got the call for you."Tanis frowned. "Who contactedyou?" She didn't know many of the White brethren, and definitely no onewho would care if she lived or died.The guy huffed out a breath."Just a voice on the phone. That's it." He turned and started to makehis way through a thicket of underbrush.Tanis scrambled to catch up."Look, I appreciate the help, but I'm serious when I say you need to laylow. Better yet, take a vacation somewhere that isn't here."The man grunted. "Yeah, I'llthink about it."Tanis hesitated a moment."What's your name?" Maybe that would give her a clue about who wantedher alive.His eyes narrowed a little."Brevan Hollis. And no offense, but I hope you'll forget you ever sawme." He lifted his chin and darted forward, pulling brambles and briars inhis wake.Tanis tucked the card into herpocket. "Thanks again, Brevan. Here's hoping I don't find your name in thedeath herald anytime soon." She ducked low and carefully made her waytoward the river.From there she'd pick up the paththat led to Innispoint and hopefully get some answers."Why would anyone from theWhite save me?"

I'm pleased withhow this story is coming together. Tanis is not going to be thrilled when shediscovers why she's been saved.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: On the Circuit

Man, I can'tbelieve August is almost over. It's been a chaotic month between work,unexpected challenges, and other factors crowding each other out for attention.Geez. Between the road construction everywhere, my car needing a newalternator, and the dogs needing their check-ups but unable to go because ofthe car issue … yeah, wild week.

I did have a solidwork week. I finished up some projects and started new ones. I got a surpriseturnaround that happened a lot sooner than I expected. I'm filling Septemberand some of October, which is great.

Had a pretty goodviewing week. I made it through my regular shows and finished up one of my backburners. I get to start the second season this week!

Watched an episodeof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the rewatch. Again, thisshow is such a comfort view for me.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. I've got a weird feeling all isn'tgreat between Dom and Jean, and that makes me a little sad. I loved the splitmysteries even if Gloria's dad irritates the crap out of me. So much funwatching the team take down the con artists.

Caught the holidayepisode for season fourteen of Death in Paradise. Not sure if I like thenew guy, especially since he, like the actor who played Neville, has alreadybeen featured on the show. We'll see how it goes.

Watched another episodeof Poirot and ended up enjoying more than I thought I would. It's fun tosee Hastings get a moment to shine.

Elementary had a veryfun episode. Thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock going head-to-head with theimposter. Also quite liked Joan and her stepdad's interactions.

Caught another BatmanBeyond and it's one I didn't remember much, but I ended up enjoying.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks. One thing I absolutely love about the show isthe theme song. I know. Weird. But it's actually perfect for the show.

Finally, I watchedthe season one finale of Reacher, and it did not disappoint. I'm verysatisfied with the season overall. I'm thrilled Picard ended up being part ofthe counterfeiting ring because there's no other explanation for how Charlieand Roscoe were found. Also loved that Paul ended up not being dead. Basically,the first season rocked. And … great to finally see adult Joe, but I didn'tquite get the whole brothers looking so much alike thing as grown-ups. Theflashbacks to their childhood, I definitely saw how they could be mixed up. Iwould really, really like to find out why the brothers hadn't talked much. Whoknows, maybe season two will have more on that.

That's pretty much iffor the life update this week. Tonight's post is from On the Circuit, anovella that combines the thrill of rodeos with dragons.

Here's theminiblurb:

The popularity of breaking dragons on the rodeo traillures Reggie Pitch to test her mettle as a bullfighter. She works her way upfrom green recruit and tries out for the big show with Dwight Merlyn as hertrainer, which proves intimidating because not only is he attractive as hell,he's a third-generation handler and his family breeds the rankest, meanestbeasts on the circuit

And a preview snippet…

Reggie took a moment toscan the dim interior of the bar and spotted Dwight headed her way. "Damn,he cleans up nice." Without the face paint, the angles and planes of hisface created a fine visage.He nodded when hereached her side. "Grab a table?" He tilted his head toward a cozycorner one.Reggie lifted her chin."Sure." She didn't trust herself to say more … not yet.Without Sam acting as abarrier, she questioned her offer to buy Dwight a drink. The wild attractionshe had for him could get out of hand. She didn't want to jeopardize her moveup to the big show events.Dwight settled in theseat perpendicular to hers. "In case it needs saying, you're on theroster. I made it official during the award presentations. The family welcomesyou to the team." He signaled for a server.Reggie grinned."Thank you. Definitely makes up for the shitty start to the night." Shepaused and gave her order to the pretty waitress. "And I'm buying hisfirst round."Dwight tipped his chinupward. "Usual for me." He waited for the staff member to leave thendirected his attention to Reggie. "I should be buying. To celebrate yourmove up to the big show."Reggie shrugged."Next time. After I sign the contract." Bold to make the assumptionhe'd want there to be a next time.Dwight's lips curved."That'll work even if it seems unfair to make you pay after everythingthat went down earlier." He kicked back in his chair. "Mind if I askhow you ended up with Nordstrom?" His head tilted to one side.Reggie winced."Met him when I worked in the diner over in Tempest." She paused whenthe server returned with their drinks. "I went to all the rodeos. Lovedthe thrill of watching the events. Sam came in one night, and he'd rememberedme as a regular at the venue." She rolled a shoulder. "We hooked upand when he made the move up to the next level, he asked if I wanted to ridealong." She shook her head. "I don't regret leaving with him, and hewasn't always so heavy-handed." Her mouth twisted. "That started whenI got opportunities from the event managers. Women bullfighters aren't common,and I drew attention." Which Sam loved at first because some of that shinerubbed off on him.Until it didn'tanymore.Reggie met Dwight'sgaze. "But we were good for a while … then we weren't." She reallydidn't want to talk about Sam. "Can we talk about something else? Like youmaybe?" Her lips curved in a half-smile.Dwight snorted. "Notmuch you don't know about me. My story is common knowledge."Reggie waved a hand."Yeah, yeah. Third gen fighter and wrangler. The brochure face for theMerlyn clan." She put her forearms on the table and leaned in. "Whathappens behind the scenes?" During training, Dwight proved to betight-lipped about his family's dragon stock program.Dwight shrugged."The usual family drama. I mean, for the most part, we all get along. Butwe also have our own roles and talents. Mine happens to be bullfighting andtraining others to do the work to our standard." He dipped his chin."As you know, not everyone makes the grade."True. She started hertraining with four other people and two didn't make the cut. So far, she'd beenthe only one to move up to the big show.Dwight drained half ofhis ale. "What drew you to bullfighting?" He leaned in closer,mimicking her pose with his forearms on the table.Reggie chuckled."Honestly? I kind of stumbled into it." She leaned back, gettingcomfortable to tell the story. "Several months after I left with Sam, oneof the local venues was one person shy of having enough fighters to meet therequired number to put on the event. They needed someone—anyone—in ahurry." Her fingers traced a circle on the table. "Sam asked if Iwanted to volunteer." She looked up and met Dwight's gaze. "I did andfell in love with the work."Dwight's eyes widened.""You had zero training for your first experience with dragons?That's dangerous." His tone held a note of disbelief.Reggie laughed."Yeah, I know that now." She shook her head. "Thankfully, I seemto have an aptitude for not getting trampled."Dwight braced hisshoulders on the back of the chair. "That's seriously amazing." Heheld her gaze. "Actually, no, you're pretty amazing." His eyes wentdark and sexy. "You proved that out there tonight."Reggie's breath caught."Means a lot to hear that coming from you, especially with your background."She swallowed the unexpected lump in her throat. "You took my raw abilityand tempered it into bankable talent. I can't thank you enough for that." Orfor the opportunity to stand on her own…Dwight leaned forwardagain and grasped her hand. "No thanks necessary. You have skill. I justgave you the tools and knowledge to use it." His thumb brushed over herskin.Reggie's nerve endingscrackled to life. "What happens now?" She didn't elaborate … shedidn't need to.Dwight's lips curved ina wolflike smile. "Whatever you want. I'm interested. But if you want to takesome time to move on from Sam, I'd get it."Reggie finished herdrink in one long gulp. "Don't need time." She got to her feet,keeping hold of his palm. "Your cabin or mine?" Using her free hand,she placed a few bills on the table.Dwight rose."Whichever is closer…"

I'm having so muchfun writing this story. Reggie finally hit the big time, and she's not going towaste the opportunity in or out of the arena.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: On Ice

Whew. Very longweek of scorching temperatures and tinder-dry conditions. We need some rain ina big way. Also, the end of my street is closed, which is kind of inconvenientbut not terrible. It's the height of construction season and it shows with multipleroad projects going on.

Super busy weekwith work projects and shifting my schedule around a little. I'm very happy tohave a full calendar even when it overwhelms me a little.

School starts thisweek and I'm excited for my husband, who really enjoys interacting with thestudents, teachers, and staff. Looking forward to hearing how his first weekgoes with the kids coming back.

Had a decentviewing week. Made it most of the way through my shows, including one of myback-burner ones. It also looks like a few of my faves are getting ready toreturn to my streamers.

Started season twoof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed all the newcomers. Jack'sformer wife and his father-in-law along with Dottie's sister. Phryne doing afan dance also ended up being fun.

Enjoyed the mysteryon Madame Blanc Mysteries. Kind of fun having John back but I'm hopingit's not going to be a lot of him. Also wondering if there are some cracks inJean and Dom's relationship. I'll be a little sad if there are.

Finished up seasonthirteen of Death in Paradise. I'm oddly sad to say goodbye to Neville.But I'm really thrilled he's leaving with Florence. A fitting end for the character.

Watched anotherepisode of Poirot and quite enjoyed the mystery. Having the ongoing Monopolygame going throughout the episode was fun.

Elementary ended up being very interesting. HavingSherlock working with Moreland ended up being entertaining and I'm veryinterested and wary of why Moreland is really in New York. That ending hintedthat all may not be what it seems, which isn't that surprising. I hope it givesJoan the chance to kick ass on Sherlock's behalf.

Caught anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and loved how Terry and Max teamed up to handleCurare. This was a great episode.

Lower Decks once again charmed and annoyed me. That'sthe running theme for this show. That said, I enjoy it enough to definitelykeep watching.

Got most of an episodeof Reacher viewed. It's the penultimate ep so I'm paying close attentionto the details. Because … details matter. Just saying.

Peak Practice is hopefully back on target for this week.I started a new episode but didn't get all the way through.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from On Ice, a novella thatputs a couple on opposing sides of a conflict and one pushes the other a littletoo far.

Here's the miniblurb:

A battle is brewing between opposing magical factions andPaley Knoff and Birk Southampton are charged with readying their troops. Paleythinks Birk is taking the threat too seriously and when he ignores her in favorof adding more training, she pushes him a little too far, leaving him no choicebut to put her on ice until she remembers who's in charge.

And a preview snippet…

Birk turned the water on to let itwarm up and watched Paley shed her clothes.This part of being partners in workand life they did well. The rest? Yeah, the rest needed some major work. Thewoman drove him around the bend with her contradictory and contrarymethodology. And, lately, they'd had a hard time coming to terms about anythingwork related, which started to spill over their personal life.But a little stress relief … mighthelp. His gaze wandered from her painted toenails up to her toned thighs thenover the flare of her hips. Maybe they should just stay naked all the time. Hislips quirked and he glanced up to meet her gaze.She arched a brow. "Betterkeep up. You're a bit overdressed." She reached forward and popped thebutton of his dungarees.Birk took her hint and yanked hisshirt off then dropped his pants. "All caught up." Nudging her towardthe shower, he ducked in behind her.Paley let the water sluice over herhead and down her body. She moved around behind Birk and gave him room to stepunder the spray. He bent his head, the water raining down and over his back.Paley's hands gripped his shoulders, then smoothed down his spine and aroundeither side of his waist. Her fingers found his hard length and curled aroundit.Tension drained from his body. Betweenthe hot water raining down over him and Paley's nimble handiwork, he couldalmost forget the huge task in front of them. And for the rest of the night, hewould.Angling to one side of the stall,he turned toward Paley and drew her closer. His mouth met hers and his handscupped her ass. She moaned low in her throat, showing her patience wearingthin. Bracing his shoulders against the wall, he slid down a little then urgedher to straddle his thighs.Paley didn't break the kiss whenshe draped her legs over his and slid over his cock in one smooth glidedownward. Her warm heat surrounded him, and he relaxed, shedding another layerof stress and turmoil. Paley's lips ghosted along his jawline, a hot breathfanning against his ear, and her hips rocked steadily back and forth. Digging her fingers into hisbiceps, she increased the pace and arched her back, bringing her breasts intocontact with his chest. Birk skimmed his hands along her sides then brushed histhumbs over her hardened nipples. Paley sucked in a breath before snaring hismouth with hers again.The stall filled with steam and thesound of low moans and panting bursts of air coming from both of them. Birkflexed his thighs, driving upward to meet the roll of her hips. The addedfriction sent Paley over the edge, and she shuddered through an orgasm. Birkfollowed quickly behind, finding his release buried deep inside her.Paley slid gently from his lap andducked under the spray. Birk eased in behind her and they rinsed off together.She cut the water, cracked the door open, and reached for a towel. Birk tookthe fluffy material and wrapped it around her then grabbed one for himself. Sheturned toward him and rested her head on his shoulder.Pressing a kiss to the top of herhead, he traced a water droplet from her temple to her chin. "Wedefinitely needed that." Easing away from her, he nodded toward thebedroom. "Round two in five?"Paley's lips quirked. "I'mdown with that."

Ahhhh, the calmbefore the storm. Birk and Paley will be butting heads in the very near future.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Old Wounds

The first full weekof August kind of flew by. We had a power outage and mobile phone outage on thesame night, which made for a long six hours. Also kind of weird since therewasn't a storm or anything that would be a normal reason for the loss.

Very busy week withwork projects and September is looking like another busy month. I'm definitelynot complaining. I miss having dedicated writing time, but I also squeeze thatin whenever I can.

The school yearstarts next week, which means the husband will be at his new position in theelementary school. He truly wishes he'd had this job thirty years ago. I can'tblame him. He drove almost an hour each way for twenty-plus years. The schoolsin our district are all less than five miles away and the elementary school is threeblocks from our house.

Had my daughterhome for several days this week and we had a great time catching up. She evenhad me cut her hair, which turned out really well. Always love it when she asksme to help with stuff like that.

Had a solid viewingweek and made it through my whole slate of shows, including my two back-burnerones. Not sure what the upcoming week will bring but hoping to keep on target.

Started the weekwith Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and finished up the first season. Can'twait to start season two. Another one of my favorite episodes is coming up.

Caught another MadameBlanc Mysteries and really enjoyed the twisty turns in this one. Thisseason is shaping up to be a lot of fun. I like Charlie and Simone so it's goodto see them again.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and it's the penultimate episode before theseason thirteen finale. So great to have Florence back, even if only for abrief time. Looking forward to the finale.

Enjoyed an episodeof Poirot. This one was a lot of fun, especially having Poirot sneakinginto a house and getting caught. And spending a night in jail to boot!

Caught an episodeof Elementary and very much enjoyed Sherlock figuring out Alfredo neededsome support. The mystery ended up being pretty interesting also.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and it's one I remembered. Always fun to seeBruce and Barbara spar, and I loved Terry trusting Bruce to help him.

Lower Decks again charmed and annoyed me. I've come tokind of accept that's how this show is going to be for me. I did really likethe teamwork in this one.

Finished up theepisode of Peak Practice from last week and even started the newepisode. Have to finish it this week.

Finally, Reacher.Man. This show. I truly get the hype around it. So many revelations. Finlay.Yeah, didn't see that one coming. Explains a lot. Roscoe. Badass. Seriously.I'm on the fence with Charlie's admission about Hubbel. I think there's more tothe story there. And Reacher having the light-bulb moment with the last-standingprofessor was excellent. Here's hoping she stays alive. Can't wait to watch thenext episode!

That's it for the lifeupdate this week. Tonight's post is from Old Wounds, a novella that exploreswhat one member of a couple is willing to do to support the other.

Here's theminiblurb:

When Abbot Isley's father lies near death, Nixie Grimm iswilling to open old wounds to help him cope. Taking a trip down memory lane isnot her favorite thing, but Abbot's steadfast support triggers a healingprocess she didn't know she needed and lets her move forward—with Abbot.

And a preview snippet…

Abbot loved Nixie. She cut to thechase without being nasty. He didn't have the cranial fortitude to go a fullround with Barton. Punching the other man in the face ranked at the top ofAbbot's list right now.Wence lifted his chin. "We'retrying, Abbot. I've called in the best."Finally, some good news.Abbot gave a nod. "Does thatmean Kira is on board?" Kira Landry topped the list as the most talentedamong them.She wove intricate spells and herknowledge of magickal healing rivaled Barton's entire team. Abbot had a deepwell of respect for her even if she often disagreed with the council's methodsof ruling the realm.Barton glanced away. "Well,no. We didn't think Isaac would appreciate having his arch nemesis and leadingdetractor trying to heal him." His gaze snapped back to Abbot.Abbot waved a hand. "I don'tcare. Get her in." He looked toward Nixie who gave a nod. "I'mconfident Kira will put their differences aside and help." He paused amoment. "Honestly? She's probably my dad's only chance." He wouldn'tshare why he chose to be so adamant … but Kira and his father love each otherdeeply.They were often at odds when it cameto mage politics, but she'd move and use whatever she has at her disposal tomake sure Isaac lived. Wence opened his mouth to argue,but Nixie held up a hand and jerked her head back and forth. "Don't. Yousaid yourself you're trying, and you called in the best. If you haven't calledKira, you have not called in the best."Barton's face flamed red. "Abbot,why would you want her here? She's so…" He trailed off, either unwillingor unable to finish his thought.Abbot didn't have that problem."She's unconventional. Is that it? Nothing you've done has worked so far.She won't be afraid to dig in and solve the problem."Wence tsked. "I won't have hermeddling. She can't just come in here—"Abbot cut him off. "Yes. Shecan. You can take your best and get out. Now."Barton backpedaled. "Now,Abbot. Hold on a second here."Nixie stepped between the men."You heard him." She angled her head around. "I'll make thecall. Go be with your dad." She grasped Barton's elbow and yanked himtoward the door.Abbot heaved a sigh. He'd be lostwithout Nix right now.

I'm rather happywith how this story is coming together. Two strong characters offering comfort ora swift kick is fun to write.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye