Saturday Snippet – Character Sass

Well, sass is one way to say it. *g* As far as I'm concerned sass makes the world go round. Maybe it's a southern thing but I doubt it. Sassy is a universal trait. And oh so much fun.

I'm very often a smart ass in real life and that certainly comes through in many of my heroines. So today there is no shortage of books to choose from, it's just a matter of which sassy character do I feature.

For today I've chosen an excerpt from Malcolm. There is sarcasm, resentment, physical violence and a whole lot of lust. The perfect combination.

Excerpt:

"Looking for me?"

He whirled at the sultry voice behind him in time for her to deliver a kick to his stomach, catching him off balance and sending him flying backward to sprawl on the floor. Air whooshed from his lungs and his head cracked against the hard floors. Pain exploded in his head, little shards of sharp, burning sensations that took hold for several long seconds before clearing.

Stunned that she'd snuck up on him, he groped for his bearings. The little minx took full advantage of his delay and pounced on top of him, straddling his legs with her own. He didn't even see the knife until she had it pressed to his throat and dangerously close to his jugular.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

Malcolm slowly dragged the air back into his lungs and wondered what kind of crazy bitch she'd turned into. The power emanating from her came soaked in strength without even a whiff of fear. For a second or two, he felt frozen in time. This woman looked nothing like the Chey he remembered. This woman had obviously trained and his instincts screamed she would not be an easy fight. Interesting.

Her white blonde hair was tied up in a braid but a few strands had come loose and curled around her face. His fingers itched to brush them from her cheeks. With the anger in her eyes and the stern shape of her mouth, she reminded him more of the women from his clan than ever. In an act of aggression, she bore resemblance to the cougar more than ever.

"My tongue's just fine, Chey. Want to find out?"

The look in her blazing eyes flared hot, shining in the moonlight as she speared him with her gaze. Electrifying pools of blue that a man could easily get lost in. All but a few shifters had green eyes and he'd only heard of one kind that had blue. He curled his lip at the memory.

The elusive white cougars.

Half-breeds that no clan wanted except for their dirty work. While he and his brothers carried out death sentences in accordance with the laws and traditions of their councils, her kind had trained for a different kind of mission. They'd become mercenaries available to the highest bidder. They used methods of stealth that he and his brothers rarely bothered with. They didn't need to.

"In your dreams, Malcolm."

Over the years he'd allowed his perception of her to soften. Maybe she was different. Obviously not, considering the position he now found himself in. There was nothing soft about the blade cutting into his skin, or the strength in which she pinned him with her free hand. Obviously the only emotion she'd developed outside her family was anger. It probably made her missions easier.

He growled warningly. "Then get the hell off me."

"Or what?" Her hand tightened its vise tight grip on his arm and pinned him to the ground, a position he wanted her in right now. If he thought her scent had been enticing, that was nothing compared to the body heat infusing him as she sat atop him thinking she had

him under control. From the moment she'd set foot in his house, she'd set their course in motion. It was only a matter of time.

With her hair pinned back, he stared at the pale expanse of her bare skin like a moth to flame. His teeth ached with the need to sink into the sweet curve of her neck and taste.

Goddess, get a grip.

Clearly it had been too long. Mate or not, there was no excuse for the extreme reaction his body had toward her. If she slid back an inch or two she would know too. His raging hard on had not eased in the slightest since he'd first scented her. Not even the subtle smell of the wolf on her deterred him. Oh no, instead he hurt like fucking hell, throbbed actually from wanting her. He needed to get his little half-breed off him and now. Before he did something crazy like start shredding her clothes.

"I don't want to hurt you… but I will." Although he imagined his idea of hurting her and her ideas would likely differ drastically. The kind of pain he had in mind could bring the most mind numbing pleasure if given half the chance.

"I wouldn't lay odds on that if I were you. I'm not the same woman I was all those years ago."

"So I gather. Doesn't change the danger. Or the warning." The last time he'd seen her, he'd been so angry that fate had fucked them hard. He'd had a duty to his family to uphold the laws and traditions of their kind, and mating with a woman who had wolf blood in her veins would have landed them both at the receiving end of a death sentence.

"Yes, Malcolm. I haven't forgotten a single, disgusting, hate-laden word that came out of your mouth that night. Why do you think I have a knife at your throat?"

His body tightened further at the sound of his name coming from her mouth. And what a mouth it was. Full and pink standing out against the porcelain color of her skin, lush was the word that came to mind. So pale it practically glowed. The anger running underneath meant little to the man or animal anymore.

"So you do know what you've started here then?"

She shrugged and scrambled off him. "I'm not here to start anything so don't go getting crazy ideas in your head. I simply needed to make sure I had your

attention before you did anything stupid. I'm not here because I missed you. There is an actual purpose to this little surprise reunion."

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