Sunday Snippet: Uncommonly Good

Getting a laterthan usual start on my blog post today. We lost power for about four hours. Finallygot some rain after about ten days and the power blips. It's not even storming.Go figure.

Still moving along onmy work projects. I'm so excited about the two manuscripts I'm editing. Bothare part of a series with two different authors. Can't wait for the rest of theworld to see them!

Had a pretty goodweek of viewing television. I'm still in the midst of the great clean out sonot a huge amount, but a few extra hours.

Started the premiereepisode of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. So far, I'm loving it. I pausedmid-episode mainly because I want to be able to watch uninterrupted.

Caught another episodeof Brokenwood Mysteries. Quite a good mystery for this one. Thoroughlyenjoyed the episode.

Watched another episodeof Peak Practice and enjoyed it. This one had some action, which doesn'thappen often.

Enjoyed thepenultimate episode of Classic Who's season twenty-six and I'm lookingforward to the finale. Then I have to decide if I'm jumping into New Whoor taking a break.

Caught the first halfof a Silent Witness two-parter. Intriguing episode with some odd littletwists. Looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Continued myrewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "The Farm". I have mixedfeelings about this episode. Loved the creeptastic look into what the cylonsare up to on Caprica. Hated the deeper dive into my most disliked character inthe entire series. So, enjoyed watching with my co-watcher but tempered thatwith knowing what will come later with the most disliked character. Should bedoing a double-header next week!

Watched another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm very happy to be starting this series from thebeginning and working my way through in the established order. This is such afun watch.

Enjoyed another episodeof Only Murders in the Building. Such a great episode! Things are movinginto place, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Caught the firstepisode of Madam Blanc Mysteries' second season. It's a holiday themedepisode and actually quite terrific. I'm kind of wondering if Dom and Caronwill be vying for Jean's affections, which I hope won't be the case.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from UncommonlyGood, a novella that brings two mages from different sides together under unusualcircumstances.

Here's themini-blurb:

Shelby Fewes and Creed Campanalla have a very friendlyrivalry vying for top name in their respective dark and light organizations.When Creed is ordered to eliminate Shelby for retaliation, he makes a differentcall and the duo have an uncommonly good time proving the two sides can liveand love together.

And a preview snippet…

Creed didn't pull his punches. "You'vemade a huge impression on the light master." And not a good one.

Shelby snorted. "Let me guess.You're supposed to make me go away." She did a slow walk around his livingarea, fingering the tapestries hanging on the wall.

Creed grunted. "Yeah, but I'mmaking a different call." Everything in his gut screamed to dig deeper.

Shelby arched her brows."What? Out of the goodness of your heart?" Her gaze dropped to hisgroin. "Or maybe you're thinking with some other muscle?" Her lipstwisted in a smirk, and she took a seat on the sofa.

Creed frowned. "My attractionfor you has nothing to do with my decision. The way you fought in the cage andthe conversation I overheard after the shower does." She'd been dealt aterrible hand.

Shelby's mouth thinned. "Youeavesdropped?" She leaned back and folded her arms over her chest.

Creed lifted a shoulder. "Iplanned to duck in and compliment your sense of fair play but saw the darkoverling looming over you. And, yes, I stuck around to hear what he had tosay."

Shelby shook her head. "Andthat alone made you change your mind?" Her tone called bullshit.

Creed flung a hand out. "Youknow what? I was already questioning my orders after the fight. And, okay, moreso after the free show you gave, but the clincher is your ten years ofservitude. You're what? Twenty-five?" He took up the other end of thecouch.

She nodded.

Creed fought the bile rising in histhroat. "So, you started serving at fifteen?" Way too young to do thestuff she did.

She narrowed her eyes. "Isthere a point to this math lesson?" She cocked her head to one side."Where are you going with this?"

Creed bit back a sigh. "Yes,there's a point. You started serving before the age of consent. I'm betting ol'Evil Dark didn't give you a choice, did he?" And the dark overlingprobably didn't share the age limit with Shelby.

Shelby frowned. "Why would he?My mom ODed and owed him a crap ton of money. Someone had to pay herdebt."

Creed gnashed his teeth."Okay, but, by law, you couldn't be held responsible because you wereunder seventeen. You should've been placed in a neutral haven until you pickeda side." He paused. "Have you ever declared fealty to the dark? Orgone through the ceremony?"

Shelby tilted her head to one sidepondering. "No. But I signed a contract to pay back my mother'sdebt."

Creed all but snarled. "Acontract you can't be bound to because it breaks about a dozen laws. Thedark overling will be lucky if he's not removed from power."

Shelby's eyes widened. "Youmean—" She broke off, the full realization of what had been done to herhitting hard. "Oh, hell no." She got up and paced back and forth."I've been running around maiming and killing at his whim for no damnedreason?" Her hands balled into fists. "Fuck that."

Creed got to his feet. "Cutyourself a break. You didn't know, right?" He crossed to a cart and pickedup a bottle of alcohol.

Shelby shook her head. "No, noI didn't." She ran a hand through her hair. "I barely had time toprocess finding my mom before he swooped in and had the contract in myface." She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head back, her eyes shutand her face twisted in pain.

A need to protect her rose unbiddenin his mind. He couldn't shake how horribly she'd been wronged.

He poured her a drink andpressed it into her hands then nodded toward the couch. "Why don't wesettle in and start at the beginning?"

I love, love, lovethis story. Creed and Shelby are very well matched even if they're supposed tobe on opposite sides.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye