tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13661155934268056522024-03-13T19:49:06.420-07:00Lady BladeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969592028208954104noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366115593426805652.post-25755259922440403252013-05-02T20:59:00.000-07:002013-05-02T20:59:38.414-07:00Blog Love...Beating the Time Monster!My poor neglected Blog...*sighs*<br />
<br />
Sad to say, this poor thing has had no love for awhile. But, in my defense, it's tough when you work Full-Time, go to School *and* are trying to write...under two different Pen Names!<br />
<br />
I'm not using that as an excuse, by any means, I'm just sayin'...<br />
<br />
I know many of you are in the same boat as me. We have family, we have lives outside of our books, we have <em>things</em> that have to get done when all we really want to do is write!<br />
<br />
Am I right?<br />
<br />Sure I am. You know I am. *eyes the crowd...taps foot...* Come on, you can admit it! It's just you, me and the Twitterverse. Don't be shy!<br />
<br />
Anyway, since time seems to be the thing I'm always chasing, I thought I'd talk today about finding some sort of balance to it all and how I do it.<br />
<br />
As I mentioned, my life is quite full and until Earth catches up to the rest of the Universe and converts to a 37 hour Trade Standard Day, I fear those elusive minutes will always be just out of reach...<br />
<br />
Even with that in mind, there is hope. It can be done. It isn't always easy mind you, but the trick - I've found at least - is to find whatever works for you and have the self-discipline to stick to it! There in lies the rub though, I think. We all have great intentions but it's paring it with the fortitude to keep with it that becomes the hard part.<br />
<br />
Many times I've wanted to just throw my hands up and scream, "<em>It's just too much...something's gotta give!</em>"<br />
<br />
But then I take a breath and look at all I've done. When I do that, I realize, "Hey, you know what? I'm not so bad at juggling...maybe I should join the circus?!?!"<br />
<br />
Now, now, don't laugh! I crack a mean whip! *saucy grin* At least that's what my subs say.<br />
<br />
Anyway, moving on...<br />
<br />
I'm sure you're asking how right?<br />
<br />
Well, I'll share what works for me. If you'd like to use it, feel free! I won't mind at all.<br />
<br />
I use calendars and everything goes into them. I have three and I check them daily. I know that seems excessive, but I've found it's the only way I can stay sane sometimes.<br />
<br />
My first calendar is my primary one. It's for work but I also include anything of a personal nature, such as doctors appts, vet visits, eye exams and so on. Mainly because most of those things tend to take place during the day or in the early evening, so meshing the two together works well.<br />
<br />
Now, I can hear you asking, what kind of calendar do you use? Well, I'll tell you. It's a spiral bound one that you can get at any office supply store - Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and so on. This year it's got a week on two pages so I can see at a glance what I'm doing Mon-Friday at a glance. I've tried using one day per page types but then I end up wasting time flipping if I want to see if there's anything important coming up on Friday and it's only Monday.<br />
<br />
Now, my second one is for School, because it's my second priority right now. I do everything online and while it makes it much easier due to the time constrictions I'm under, it also tends to be a bit more work intensive. This calendar is also a week-at-a-glance type and in it I keep my assignments listed so I know on Monday what's due by Saturday and can plan accordingly.<br />
<br />
And because my classes are nine weeks long, instead of a "standard" semester/quarter, I can write in all my work to be done at the beginning of the class - from the syllabus - and plan as I go for what I need to get accomplished that week.<br />
<br />
My third calendar is for my Author Self's. Again, as I said above, there's two of me, Lady Blade and Margaret Taylor (And trust me, there are many a day that I sit here and go, "Ok who am I right now?"!!!) But, I separated them for specific reasons. Lady Blade has her following in the BDSM community and Margaret Taylor is building one in the more contemporary/paranormal/sci-fi communities. (Thank you my Twitterites! Hugs, Kisses and Cookies for following me!)<br />
<br />
Now, in this one I keep track of both personalities (No, I'm not crazy. Ok, well I <strong><em>am</em></strong>, but Shhhhh! I'm only on leave from the crazy house for the week!) and whatever they are doing. <br />
<br />
For Lady Blade, I keep her deadlines, blog guest spots, guests for this blog, hops I'm involved in or are coming up and so on.<br />
<br />
For Margaret, since I'm doing a combo of House Publishing and releasing two series as an Indie in the coming months, I keep track of my self-imposed deadlines, blog spots I've booked in prep for the releases, edits for the House (Hugs to <a href="http://www.lyricalpress.com/">Lyrical Press</a>! Love you Paige! Have some cookies!) Oh and her "baking" schedule of virtual cookies. (Who knew my Twitterites could eat so much!?!?!?!)<br />
<br />
I know, I know, I can hear you all saying, "Wow, that's a lot."<br />
<br />
It does seem that way. But truthfully because I've worked out this system it really isn't. I find plenty of time to visit with the Twitterverse, Facebook and answer my emails as well as write.<br />
<br />
I block out two hours nightly - more on Sat/Sun and Holidays - to write. I'm a very fast typist, so if I'm just writing, I can easily crank out 2k in a matter of hours. Of course, if I'm editing, I slow way down, so I tend to save that for the weekends when I can take a chunk of time and really go at it. It also helps, for me, to edit on Weekends. I'm far less distracted by "other things" and can concentrate on getting the project done.<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's how I've mastered the elusive Time Monster. I hope it helps you, or at the very least, sparks an idea and gives you a direction to go for yourself.<br />
<br />
And if it doesn't, and you have something that works for you, all I can say is "Never Give Up, Never Surrender!" (And yes, I shamelessly stole that from Galaxy Quest! *loves to Tim Allen* I know he won't mind!) If you manage yourself, keep to your own self-discipline, you too can beat the Monster at his own game!<br />
<br />
Because you've been so patient and read this far, I'll give you a little snippet of what I wrote earlier tonight during my writing block. No, no, I won't give you all 2k, but this was a fun, touching scene from my pending release, <strong><em>Blood In the Moon, Book 2 - Beginnings</em></strong>, which will be releasing from <a href="http://www.sizzlereditions.com/">Renaissance Ebooks</a> later on this year. (Hoping for August/September)<br />
<br />
I'll set just a bit of the scene for you, though it really doesn't need much explanation. Sara Riggs, Jasmine's Sister and Alpha as well to the Northern Blood Pack, Randall "Bowie" Two Wings and Marcus, the Pack's Weapons Master are returning from Missouri and the annual Gathering of the Packs. They've stopped at a hotel for the night and while Sara was "running off" some tension in the nearby woods, Marcus and Bowie have been at the bar discussing things...<br />
<br />
With that said, I hope you enjoy this brief snippet into their world.<br />
<br />
------------------<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
It was a lot to take in, a whole
lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two more beers though, helped it go
down just a bit easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Bowie</span> stumbled back
to his room and flopped across the covers on the bed, staring at the shadows on
the ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t drunk, not even
close, but he did have a pleasant buzz going and let his mind drift.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Marcus, thankfully, had been a
wealth of information and patiently answered all his questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d learned, for example, that a
Dominant/submissive relationship wasn’t just about bondage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t <u>all</u> about tying someone
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That particular aspect was usually a
part, not the whole.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
According to Marcus, if both
parties enjoyed that sort of thing it could greatly heighten the overall
experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He admitted he loved tying
Maddie up, watching her squirm and squeal, plead and beg for release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also loved watching her struggle against
the bonds he placed on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was
more than that too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing she allowed
him to put them on her was also a part of the appeal, but still wasn’t the
whole.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
It was a trust factor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maddie trusted him enough not to hurt her,
either by design or unintentionally, and allowed him that much control over
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the greatest of
aphrodisiacs, according to Marcus anyway.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He still had his doubts
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first being, if trust was
the bigger factor, could he trust Sara?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He could count, on one hand, the
number of people in his life he had that much faith in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley, Cody, Dillon, a few others he’d
known over the years, that was it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
now Sara…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
But why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d never given him a reason not too, true,
but still, what was it about her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
power did she hold over him?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He dropped an arm over his eyes and
let out a sigh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
By all rights, he shouldn’t trust
her in the slightest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He barely knew
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never in his life had he so quickly
allowed someone so close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, in less
than two weeks, she’d seen him completely naked, held him in her arms while he
cried of all things and somehow managed to lock a collar around his neck.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He toyed with the metal, smiling
when the lock jingled softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
feeling of being owned, of belonging, settled across his chest like the first
sip of strong, well-aged bourbon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Her door opening brought his head
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kicking off his boots, he padded
across his room and out into the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knocked on hers, waiting rather impatiently, for it to open.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
It cracked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Enjoy yourself?” he asked softly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She stepped back and he breezed
past, noting the trail of leaves and dirt on her floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned back as she shut the door and
chuckled when she shook out of her long hair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I did,” she replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did you need something?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He shook his head slowly, letting
his eyes roam over her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
naked, unconcerned with it and he took his time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t model thin, she wasn’t fat
either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was muscled, toned and
curved in all the right places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
belly had a slight paunch to it, but she liked to eat, so it was no wonder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Her legs were long, the thighs and
calves defined but not body-builder ugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her hips flared out above them and, as his mother would say, were
perfect for ‘birthin’ babies’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her waist
was trim, curving in from her hips and he remembered spanning his hands around
it that night by the river pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
wasn’t so thin that he could completely encircle it, but wasn’t so wide that he
couldn’t lift her against him with ease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Her arms were long like
her legs and he remembered their strength, both when he’d awakened under them
and when she’d held him, offering comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her breasts were large, but not stripper so and he wanted to take one,
see how it fit into his callused hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
skin was streaked with dirt and she had a twig clinging to the ends of her long
hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her shoulders were wide, even with
her hips and the muscles shifted when she fisted her hands on them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“What?” she finally asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He reached out and gently untangled
the piece of tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped it on the
floor between them and answered her question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Charley said yes.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She blinked, her cheeks slightly
flushed and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, that’s
good.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Neither of them moved and he
continued to stare down into her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The flakes of gold sparkled against the green and her skin flushed a
shade deeper when he didn’t speak.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“W-was there something else?” she
asked, a bit breathlessly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He reached up to tug at the lock on
the collar.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She jerked a bit and flushed
another shade deeper of pink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forgot to remove it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She made to move past him, most
likely to get the key and he reached out and gently wrapped a hand around her
upper arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” he whispered.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She tilted her eyes up to his, her
own flashing hotly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want me to take it off?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He shook his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And he truthfully didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Then what do you want Bowie?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He pulled her back around in front
of him and took one step to close the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her warmth invaded him, folded around him like a thick blanket in a
Siberian winter and he picked up her hands, curling his own over them against his
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To know why I trust you…”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
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----------------</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by. I hope my time tricks have helped and you've enjoyed visiting Book 2 of the Blood in the Moon Series.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Until we meet again!</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Lady Blade</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969592028208954104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366115593426805652.post-26188849239230926352013-04-11T20:03:00.002-07:002013-04-11T23:07:36.950-07:00Let's Get Lucky Erotic Blog HopWelcome to my stop in the MFRW Erotic Blog Hop. I hope you've been enjoying yourself thus far! And I hope you'll stay all the way to the end because there's a Quiz...<br />
<br />
You'll have to scroll all the way to the bottom to find it and I'll know if you don't!<br />
<br />
So let's get <strong><u>Lucky</u></strong> ladies!<br />
<br />
I wasn't sure what to do for this, I really wasn't, but eventually I came up with an idea. I decided, as most Authors do, to have a conversation with my characters. Just sort of a meet and greet with the Hero and Heroine from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/BLOOD-MOON-BOOK-AWAKENINGS-ebook/dp/B00B6DHI5A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365733339&sr=1-1&keywords=lady+blade">Blood In The Moon, Book 1: Awakenings</a><br />
<br />
First off, let me introduce Dillon McCardill. He's ex-Special Forces turned NYPD Special Protections Officer. He and his partner, Cody Roth, keep witnesses alive while they're awaiting a trial to begin. They are very good at what they do - they haven't lost one yet. <br />
<br />
Dillon, please, tell us some stuff...<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">Well, before I met Jasmine, I was just your run of the mill, boring old cop, if you must know. Cody and I traveled all around the New York area, sometimes for months, keeping our witnesses safe and well until they could testify. After I met Jaz, however, everything changed. I discovered a side of myself I didn't know existed or that I wanted!</span> </em><br />
<em></em><br />
What do you mean?<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">Jaz introduced me to some things about myself I wasn't aware I needed. She kept me captive in her cabin for weeks and I found that I loved it, and her. So, now, a day for me, well, it's definitely not what I was expecting my life would turn into for sure.</span></em><br />
<em></em><br />
Are you happy with the way things are going?<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">Oh, most definitely. Now that I'm here and under her spell, I wouldn't change a thing about my life. I'm loving every minute of it. Even the bad parts...</span></em><br />
<em></em><br />
Bad parts?<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">Yeah, there's some nasty stuff that goes down for us but I don't want to give anything away, so you'll just have to pick up the book and find out...</span></em><br />
<em></em><br />
Sorry folks, I was just going to give it over to Dillon there, but couldn't help myself...<br />
<br />
Anyway, let's let Jasmine have the floor now.<br />
<br />
Jasmine Riggs is the Alpha Wolf to New York's Northern Blood Pack. Go on my dear...have at it and tell us stuff...<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: purple;">Well, for starters, I just love the fact that Dillon is mine. I've waited almost a hundred years to find him and I'm not about to wait another day, let me tell ya! I couldn't. From the first moment I saw him I knew I would claim the Mate Right, so...yeah. </span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple;">He's the best thing that ever happened to me and you'd better believe no Crime Boss is going to get in the way of that, no siree!</span> </em><br />
<em></em><br />
Wait, wait, Crime Boss?<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: purple;">Yeah, his name is Claude Rosallano and he's an asshole...can I say that here?</span></em><br />
<em></em><br />
You can. But go on.<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: purple;">Well, he forced me to work for him for the last 10 years or so and then wanted me to kill someone...</span></em><br />
<em></em><br />
Wait, you're a werewolf, doesn't killing come naturally to you?<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: purple;">Oh, it does, but not Humans. If we started randomly killing them how quickly do you think we'd have everyone and their brother trying to hunt us down? Hmmm? Pretty quick, let me tell ya! But, I digress. Sorry about that. Anyway, yeah, the bastar-assho-son-of-a, well Rosallano ordered me to kill the witness Dillon and Cody were protecting but I just couldn't do it. Fortunately, I didn't have to and Dillon saved me. I don't think I could have lived with myself if I'd killed in cold blood...</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple;"></span></em><br />
<span style="color: black;">Ok, folks, I think that's enough for now. I hope you enjoyed meeting these two as much as I did. And, just because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to give you a sneak peak at Book 2 from the series which will be out later on this year...</span><br />
<br />
--------------------<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Prologue<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></span></u></b><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<em><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Mullet</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peninsula</st1:placetype></st1:place>, <st1:place w:st="on">Western Ireland</st1:place></em><br />
<em><st1:place w:st="on"></st1:place></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Randall Two Wings picked up the buzzing cell phone, flipped it open and grunted once.<br />
“<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bowie</st1:place></st1:city>?”<br />
He grunted a second time, instantly recognizing the voice he hadn’t heard in nearly a year, Cody Roth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The former Special Forces Green Beret spoke in an uncharacteristically soft tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s Dillon.”<br />
He grunted a third time to acknowledge the seriousness of those two words.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody rattled off a set of coordinates and he committed them to memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The line went dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing else needed to be said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cody Roth was calling in the <st1:place w:st="on">Calvary</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reached up, took the bill of the Atlanta Braves Baseball Cap and flipped it around backwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rising off the couch, he went in search of the big man.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley McCadden looked up when he entered the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slate grey eyes of his team leader gave him a quick once over, pausing at the backwards hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He spoke, in a voice he still didn’t recognize, for the first time in a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dillon.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Where?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He grabbed a piece of paper off the large oak desk between them, scribbled out the coordinates and left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew Charley would follow and set off to prep the helicopter they kept on hand for just such emergencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be a quick flight to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city> but a longer trek across the ocean and into the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Pausing in another part of the large, semi-restored castle they called home, he scooped up a set of fake passports for them both, and added half a dozen of his favored bowie knives to the bandoliers crisscrossing his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
If <em>Cody</em> was calling, it was definitely bad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That man would never, ever call for backup unless the world was ending…<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" /></span> <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Chapter One<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<em>Somewhere in the wilds of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>…<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
This couldn’t be right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he heard Cody incorrectly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His voice may be shot but that certainly hadn’t affected his ears…at least he didn’t think it had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned a look toward Charley, quirking an eyebrow in the air.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The team leader’s slate grey eyes were barely discernible in the early morning light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hand tightened around the handle of a P-90 sub-machine gun, black glove whispering softly in the stillness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He saw it too…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Just below them, in a wide clearing of trees, a tall man all but dragged a bound and gagged woman toward the far side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rising sun was just staring to push the darkness back and there was no one but the two of them moving about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman had her head down, looking defeated as she was pulled along by a leash around her neck.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She wasn’t resisting, which told him from personal experience, she’d been here a very long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d accepted her captivity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t even have the will to fight the man holding the other end!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
His thoughts tried to flash back…and he almost touched the jagged scar running the length and breadth of his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’d been months, nearly a year to be exact, since he thought about <em>that</em> time and <em>that</em> place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His fingers clenched into fists, trembling with an urge he knew all too well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to rush into the clearing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to jump the man.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to pound his face until there was nothing left but a bloody pulp.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to set the woman free…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Stilling his hands by wrapping them back around the barrel and grip of the M-16 they’d acquired from friends in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>, he focused through sheer effort of will.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
So, this is why Cody called them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Dillon MacCardill was here, it was bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, why was he here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And where was Cody Roth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely he would have greeted them by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He’d tried calling once they’d touched down, but all he gotten so far was the standard, ‘The person you are calling is not within service range…’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He could see why now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They literally, were in the middle of no where, at least 50 miles from any decent sort of civilization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nudged Charley with his elbow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
McCadden turned enough to look at him and nod.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
They were going in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>***<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>Marcus Woodsby smelled them an instant too late.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
A voice rasped softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let her go.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He turned, slowly quirking an eyebrow at the sight that greeted him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two men dressed from head to toe in solid black, crouched a couple of feet away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One had a nasty looking P 90 sub machine gun pointed at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other sported an M-16, complete with grenade launcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the look in their eyes he knew neither of them would hesitate to pull the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Excuse me?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Let her go,” P 90 said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Or I’ll drop you right here.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He felt Maddie shift a step, moving in to defend him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waggled a finger and she stayed where she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had started out as such a pleasant morning…ok, not so pleasant, but a morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Friend, you really don’t want to do this.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
P 90’s eyes flickered in surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It passed quickly and his gloved hand tightened on the grip of the small sub machine gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let, her, go.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He chuckled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beast, his ever constant companion, clawed at his consciousness, mewing to be free and deal with this threat in short order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ignored it and calmly reached out to press the button on the front of Maddie’s collar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her bonds separated with a soft pop, as they were designed to do, and fell to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She reached up, undid her ball gag and dropped it onto of the pile at her feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She crossed her arms, tapped her foot and narrowed her eyes into a glower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is there a reason you two are interrupting my breakfast?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
M-16 blinked and P 90 tilted his head in her direction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Seeing them distracted, he let the Beast free…<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>***<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>A warning howl rent across the early morning air.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Sara Riggs tumbled out of the bed, hitting the floor hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instinct took over when a second howl pierced the silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marcus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, definitely Marcus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d recognize his deep, throaty grumble anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not bothering with clothes, need she shift herself, she yanked open the cabin’s door and bolted toward the sound.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She slid to a halt in a dew covered grass a few seconds later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she found was definitely not what she was expecting!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Nine members of her Pack stood in a circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d all shifted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clawed hands flexed in and out and several of them growled deep in their chests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She couldn’t see anything that might be a threat until she shoved Kelly and Jones aside.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
In the middle of them, two men stood back to back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had a pair of nasty looking weapons raised, roaming around slowly as if they couldn’t figure out which, or who, was the bigger threat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“What the hell?” she asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The one facing her wore a backwards baseball cap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shifted a shoulder to nudge the man behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This man turned enough to cut his eyes over his shoulder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Lady,” he said in a calm, cold tone. “I’d run if I were you.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were the intruders here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Excuse me?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“I said, run!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She looked up at Marcus and lifted an eyebrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Marcus?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The weapons master shifted back into human form and waved a hand at the pair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They started it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He sounded like a two year old and she had to laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is anyone hurt?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Maddie shifted out of her wolven form next to him, crossed her arms and pouted out her lower lip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They interrupted my breakfast!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She sounded worse than Marcus and she laughed harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she regained control of herself, she waved at the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s ok.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
They shifted but remained in a circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at the men, who hadn’t lowered their weapons and tilted her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked ready for war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of them wore too many guns for her to count quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The one facing her had two bandoliers of knives over his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was tall and she could see pitch black hair peeking out from under the rim of his cap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face was angular, chiseled in granite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The muscles of his jaw worked and he stared at her, chocolate brown eyes unflinching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She kept her gaze locked to his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he blink first?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or would she?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She took a step then another then a third until she was between the barrel of his weapon and her people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You two must be friends of Cody’s…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Randall blinked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t help it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman standing in front of him was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was tall, about 5’8” or so, with waist length golden brown hair, and crystal green eyes that were regarding him calmly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She acted like they hadn’t just been surrounded by a pack of…of…well, shit, of whatever they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also didn’t seem to be bothered in the slightest to be standing there, as naked as the day she was born either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Behind him, Charley responded to her statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lowered the P 90, turned and let out a huff of air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And you would be?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She didn’t take her eyes off him, continuing to hold his gaze, her own sparkling slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sara.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
It was such a simple thing, her name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rolled it over in his mind and almost smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley didn’t say anything else but gave the various cabins and buildings of the clearing a once over with a slow swing of his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And Roth is?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She chuckled softly and shifted her gaze just a bit over his left shoulder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody answered for himself, pushing his way between the man and the woman they’d initially tried to save.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why the hell didn’t you two call?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The others that had come to the defense of the male and female drifted off at his question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley frowned darkly at the shorter man then cuffed him in the back of the head for their trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody ducked his shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dammit Cap!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’d you do that for?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“We, did, call.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He chuckled and turned his attention back to the woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she had already turned and was walking away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to go after her, wanted to ask a ton of questions, but didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waited, instead, for Cody to explain.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Their friend scrubbed a hand across his face and fisted his hands on his hips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, shit,” he groused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thought my cell would work out here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry Boss.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shrugged a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Glad you made it though.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“What the fuck is going on Roth,” Charley growled darkly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody waved a hand toward an open sided pavilion in the center of the clearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, we’ll talk over breakfast.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He slung the rifle over his shoulder, hooked his thumbs into his belt and followed silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Thirty minutes after they’d seated themselves at a hand made picnic table, Cody finished the long, drawn out tale with, “And that’s when she, when Jasmine just, well, bolted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He jerked his chin toward the distant tree line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That was two days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We searched, followed her trail all the way to the river, but then lost it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He picked at a place on the table with his nail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She doesn’t even know he’s still alive.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley, who’d stayed silent through the telling, spoke at last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So…they’re werewolves?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody lifted a hand in a placating gesture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t believe it at first either, but, yep they are definitely werewolves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now, Dillon might be one too…”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He swallowed so his voice would work, injecting his first question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Might?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody lifted his gaze from the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“According to their doctor, <u>if</u> he can survive another 24 hours or so and <u>if</u> he heals enough before his first change, then yep, he <u>might</u> be a werewolf.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley gave a passing couple a doubtful look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman was leading the man this time, who – like the one they’d thought to rescue just a bit ago – was bound and gagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded toward them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“And what’s with that?” Charley asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody turned to follow his gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, some of the couples are, well they’re into the whole Dominant/submissive thing I guess.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned over the table a bit and lowered his voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’d honestly forgotten about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been around them for awhile now and it, well you just sort of learn to ignore it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t press it on to others, it seems, but they apparently dig it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“So, the girl, this morning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s into that?” Charley asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, that was Marcus and Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve been married about 5 years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To hear her tell it, it’s heaven on earth!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He shook a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could someone, anyone, willingly, just, let that happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t understand that at all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not after his own captivity!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley asked the question he would have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Geez, Roth, what the hell have you two gotten involved in?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Their long time friend actually had the good sense to look hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It wasn’t <em>my</em> fault, blame Dillon this time!”</div>
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Hope you enjoyed this early sneak peek into Book 2. And feel free to pick up Book 1 by clicking on the cover below or the link above.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to visit the rest of the Authors in this wonderful Blog Hop. Just click the next button or on the logo above.<br />
<br />
So, here's the Quiz and if you answer correctly, you'll could get <strong><u>Lucky</u></strong> and win a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/BLOOD-MOON-BOOK-AWAKENINGS-ebook/dp/B00B6DHI5A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365733339&sr=1-1&keywords=lady+blade">Blood In the Moon, Book 1: Awakenings</a> for either the Kindle or Nook, or PDF, your choice. I'll draw a winner at random on Monday so be sure to include your email. Don't worry, I won't share it with anyone...<br />
<br />
Question: <br />
<br />
In Book 2, Who does Cody blame for their current predicament?<br />
<br />
Come on now, it's not that hard...just look, right up there...</div>
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As always, Keep Reading, Keep Writing and Keep Following Your Dreams, no matter what they are.</div>
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Lady Blade</div>
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<script id="mfrw-letsgetlucky" src="http://bloghops.marketingforromancewriters.org/mfrw-bloghops.js.php?hop=letsgetlucky" type="text/javascript"></script><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969592028208954104noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366115593426805652.post-44593299814949955272013-04-07T14:03:00.003-07:002013-04-07T14:03:47.045-07:00Sneak Peek SundaySince I've noticed a lot of Authors do this, I thought I'd be nice - yes, yes, I know, <em>Me</em>, being nice...somebody better call Guinness! Just sayin'... - and give you fine folks a Sneak Peek at Book 2 of my Blood in the Moon Series.<br />
<br />
The working title of this one is Blood In the Moon, Book 2: Beginnings and gives us the story of Sara Riggs and one of Dillon MacCardill's (Our Stalwart Hero from Book 1) former Teammates, Randall "Bowie" Two Wings.<br />
<br />
Sara is the leader of New York's Northern Blood Pack and has accepted Dillon (Book 1) into the Pack for Jasmine's sake. At hearing Dillon has been fatally injured, Bowie and the Teams former commander, Charley McCadden head to the Pack's homestead to see if they can help, but they are clueless as to what they're walking into!<br />
<br />
With that said, here's a quick peek into their arrival...<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Prologue<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></span></u></b><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<em><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Mullet</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Peninsula</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
<st1:place w:st="on">Western Ireland</st1:place></em><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<u><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></u><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Randall Two Wings picked up the
buzzing cell phone, flipped it open and grunted once.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bowie</st1:place></st1:city>?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He grunted a second time, instantly
recognizing the voice he hadn’t heard in nearly a year, Cody Roth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The former Special Forces Green Beret spoke
in an uncharacteristically soft tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“It’s Dillon.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He grunted a third time to
acknowledge the seriousness of those two words.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody rattled off a set of
coordinates and he committed them to memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The line went dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing else needed to be said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cody Roth was calling in the <st1:place w:st="on">Calvary</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
reached up, took the bill of the Atlanta Braves Baseball Cap and flipped it
around backwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rising off the couch,
he went in search of the big man.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley McCadden looked up when he
entered the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slate grey eyes of
his team leader gave him a quick once over, pausing at the backwards hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He spoke, in a voice he still
didn’t recognize, for the first time in a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dillon.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Where?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He grabbed a piece of paper off the
large oak desk between them, scribbled out the coordinates and left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew Charley would follow and set off to
prep the helicopter they kept on hand for just such emergencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be a quick flight to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city> but a longer trek
across the ocean and into the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Pausing in another part of the
large, semi-restored castle they called home, he scooped up a set of fake
passports for them both, and added half a dozen of his favored bowie knives to
the bandoliers crisscrossing his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
If <em>Cody</em> was calling, it was
definitely bad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That man would never,
ever call for backup unless the world was ending…<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Chapter One<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<em>Somewhere in the wilds of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>…<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
This couldn’t be right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he heard Cody incorrectly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His voice may be shot but that certainly
hadn’t affected his ears…at least he didn’t think it had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned a look toward Charley, quirking an
eyebrow in the air.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The team leader’s slate grey eyes
were barely discernable in the early morning light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hand tightened around the handle of a
P-90 sub-machine gun, black glove whispering softly in the stillness.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He saw it too…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Just below them, in a wide clearing
of trees, a tall man all but dragged a bound and gagged woman toward the far
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rising sun was just staring to
push the darkness back and there was no one but the two of them moving about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman had her head down, looking defeated
as she was pulled along by a leash around her neck.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She wasn’t resisting, which told
him from personal experience, she’d been here a very long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d accepted her captivity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t even have the will to fight the
man holding the other end!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
His thoughts tried to flash back…and
he almost touched the jagged scar running the length and breadth of his
throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’d been months, nearly a year to be exact,
since he thought about <em>that</em> time and <em>that</em> place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His fingers clenched into fists, trembling
with an urge he knew all too well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to rush into the clearing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to jump the man.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to pound his face until
there was nothing left but a bloody pulp.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He wanted to set the woman free…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Stilling his hands by wrapping them
back around the barrel and grip of the M-16 they’d acquired from friends in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>, he focused
through sheer effort of will.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
So, this is why Cody called
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Dillon MacCardill was here, it
was bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, why was he here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And where was Cody Roth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely he would have greeted them by
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He’d tried calling once they’d
touched down, but all he gotten so far was the standard, ‘The person you are
calling is not within service range…’<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He could see why now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They literally, were in the middle of no
where, at least 50 miles from any decent sort of civilization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nudged Charley with his elbow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
McCadden turned enough to look at
him and nod.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
They were going in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>***<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>Marcus Woodsby smelled them an
instant too late.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
A voice rasped softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let her go.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He turned, slowly quirking an
eyebrow at the sight that greeted him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two men dressed from head to toe in solid black, crouched a couple of
feet away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One had a nasty looking P 90
sub machine gun pointed at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
other sported an M-16, complete with grenade launcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the look in their eyes he knew neither
of them would hesitate to pull the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Excuse me?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Let her go,” P 90 said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Or I’ll drop you right here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He felt Maddie shift a step, moving
in to defend him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waggled a finger
and she stayed where she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had
started out as such a pleasant morning…ok, not so pleasant, but a morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Friend, you really
don’t want to do this.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
P 90’s eyes flickered in surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It passed quickly and his gloved hand tightened
on the grip of the small sub machine gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Let, her, go.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He chuckled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beast, his ever constant companion,
clawed at his consciousness, mewing to be free and deal with this threat in
short order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ignored it and calmly
reached out to press the button on the front of Maddie’s collar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her bonds separated with a soft pop, as they
were designed to do, and fell to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She reached up, undid her ball gag
and dropped it onto of the pile at her feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She crossed her arms, tapped her foot and narrowed her eyes into a
glower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is there a reason you two are
interrupting my breakfast?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
M-16 blinked and P 90 tilted his
head in her direction.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Seeing them distracted, he let the
Beast free…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>***<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<o:p> </o:p>A warning howl rent across the
early morning air.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Sara Riggs tumbled out of the bed,
hitting the floor hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instinct took
over when a second howl pierced the silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Marcus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, definitely
Marcus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d recognize his deep,
throaty grumble anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not bothering
with clothes, need she shift herself, she yanked open the cabin’s door and
bolted toward the sound.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She slid to a halt in a dew covered
grass a few seconds later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she
found was definitely not what she was expecting!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Nine members of her Pack stood in a
circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d all shifted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clawed hands flexed in and out and several of
them growled deep in their chests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She couldn’t see anything that
might be a threat until she shoved Kelly and Jones aside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
In the middle of them, two men stood
back to back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had a pair of nasty
looking weapons raised, roaming around slowly as if they couldn’t figure out
which, or who, was the bigger threat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“What the hell?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The one facing her wore a backwards
baseball cap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shifted a shoulder to
nudge the man behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This man
turned enough to cut his eyes over his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Lady,” he said in a calm, cold
tone. “I’d run if I were you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were the intruders here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Excuse me?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“I said, run!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She looked up at Marcus and lifted
an eyebrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Marcus?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The weapons master shifted back
into human form and waved a hand at the pair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“They started it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He sounded like a two year old and
she had to laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is anyone hurt?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Maddie shifted out of her wolven
form next to him, crossed her arms and pouted out her lower lip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They interrupted my breakfast!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She sounded worse than Marcus and
she laughed harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she regained
control of herself, she waved at the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“It’s ok.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
They shifted but remained in a
circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at the men, who
hadn’t lowered their weapons and tilted her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked ready for war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of them wore too many guns for her to
count quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The one facing her had two
bandoliers of knives over his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was tall and she could see pitch black hair peeking out from under the rim of
his cap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face was angular, chiseled
in granite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The muscles of his jaw
worked and he stared at her, chocolate brown eyes unflinching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She kept her gaze locked to
his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he blink first?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or would she?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She took a step then another then a
third until she was between the barrel of his weapon and her people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You two must be friends of Cody’s…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Randall blinked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t help it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman standing in front of him was the
most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was tall, about 5’8” or so, with waist
length golden brown hair, and crystal green eyes that were regarding him
calmly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She acted like they hadn’t just
been surrounded by a pack of…of…well, shit, of whatever they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also didn’t seem to be bothered in the
slightest to be standing there, as naked as the day she was born either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Behind him, Charley responded to
her statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lowered the P 90,
turned and let out a huff of air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And
you would be?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She didn’t take her eyes off him,
continuing to hold his gaze, her own sparkling slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sara.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
It was such a simple thing, her
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rolled it over in his mind and
almost smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley didn’t say anything else
but gave the various cabins and buildings of the clearing a once over with a
slow swing of his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And Roth is?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She chuckled softly and shifted her
gaze just a bit over his left shoulder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody answered for himself, pushing
his way between the man and the woman they’d initially tried to save.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why the hell didn’t you two call?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The others that had come to the
defense of the male and female drifted off at his question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley frowned darkly at the
shorter man then cuffed him in the back of the head for their trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody ducked his shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dammit Cap!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What’d you do that for?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“We, did, call.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He chuckled and turned his
attention back to the woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she had
already turned and was walking away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wanted to go after her, wanted to ask a ton of questions, but didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waited, instead, for Cody to explain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Their friend scrubbed a hand across
his face and fisted his hands on his hips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Well, shit,” he groused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Thought my cell would work out here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sorry Boss.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shrugged a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Glad you made it though.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“What the fuck is going on Roth,”
Charley growled darkly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody waved a hand toward an open
sided pavilion in the center of the clearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Come on, we’ll talk over breakfast.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He slung the rifle over his
shoulder, hooked his thumbs into his belt and followed silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Thirty minutes after they’d seated
themselves at a hand made picnic table, Cody finished the long, drawn out tale
with, “And that’s when she, when Jasmine just, well, bolted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He jerked his chin toward the distant tree
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That was two days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We searched, followed her trail all the way
to the river, but then lost it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
picked at a place on the table with his nail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“She doesn’t even know he’s still alive.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley, who’d stayed silent
through the telling, spoke at last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“So…they’re werewolves?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody lifted a hand in a placating
gesture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t believe it at first either, but, yep
they are definitely werewolves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now,
Dillon might be one too…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He swallowed so his voice would
work, injecting his first question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Might?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody lifted his gaze from the
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“According to their doctor, <u>if</u>
he can survive another 24 hours or so and <u>if</u> he heals enough before his
first change, then yep, he <u>might</u> be a werewolf.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley gave a passing couple a
doubtful look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman was leading the
man this time, who – like the one they’d thought to rescue just a bit ago – was
bound and gagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded toward
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“And what’s with that?” Charley
asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody turned to follow his
gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, some of the couples are, well
they’re into the whole Dominant/submissive thing I guess.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned over the table a bit and lowered
his voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’d honestly forgotten about
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been around them for awhile
now and it, well you just sort of learn to ignore it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t press it on to others, it seems,
but they apparently dig it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“So, the girl, this morning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s into that?” Charley asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, that was Marcus and Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve been married about 5 years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To hear her tell it, it’s heaven on earth!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He shook a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could someone, anyone, willingly, just,
let that happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t understand
that at all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not after his own
captivity!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Charley asked the question he would
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Geez, Roth, what the hell have
you two gotten involved in?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Their long time friend actually had
the good sense to look hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It wasn’t <em>my</em>
fault, blame Dillon this time!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
------------------------<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoyed this. Book 2 will be out later on this year, so keep watching.<br />
<br />
As always, Keep Reading, Keep Writing and Keep Reaching For Your Dreams, no matter what they are!<br />
<br />
Thanks for stopping by.<br />
<br />
Lady Blade<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969592028208954104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366115593426805652.post-31258775966808504062013-04-05T13:36:00.000-07:002013-04-05T14:27:02.892-07:00A Rare Moment...So, I'm not one to do several things in this life:<br />
<br />
1 - I don't have a lot of time to read. I don't. Between a normal 50+ hour week at the day job, school (finishing off my Bachelor's Degree), my own writing career and trying to have some semblance of a social life, reading a book in any way (be it in one sitting or over the course of several days, weeks, whatever) is truly a rarity for me.<br />
<br />
2 - I don't normally give reviews, written ones that is. I will, if I've read the work, give the Author a like on Amazon or give them feedback on any of the numerous Yahoo Lists to which I belong. But for me to sit down and write out a formal review...on my own blog no less...is truly rare.<br />
<br />
3 - I very, very, <strong>very</strong> rarely pick up an author I've never even remotely heard of and I very, very, <em>very</em> rarely read a book where sex is the majority of the story. Yes, yes, I know, I write BDSM works. But, there is a difference between that and straight, 'I'm going to fuck your brains out every chance I get' Erotica.<br />
<br />
Back in the day, when I first began this crazy adventure called a writing "career", Erotica was just becoming the hot thing. Everyone was 'jumping on the band wagon' to pump out page after page after page that was sex scene after sex scene after sex scene.<br />
<br />
And I tried it too. I did. And I sucked at it! I really did. And <em>not</em> in a good way either. I can admit that, freely, though I did suffer with 'I'm a failure as an Author' syndrome when my works weren't contracted...<br />
<br />
Anyway, when I figured out that I needed more to a story - especially the one I was writing - I began floating around with other ideas, giving my characters backstories and building worlds and universes and so on...and I'm happy with that. I truly am. I love getting into a characters head - when they let me - seeing what makes them tick and then alternately giving that to you the reader.<br />
<br />
At least I hope I do...we'll know more when Book 2 of Blood in the Moon comes out, right?<br />
<br />
Right.<br />
<br />
So, with all this in mind, I'd like to introduce you to an Author I read today, in ONE sitting, by the name of Iris Astres. She writes for Loose ID and Ellora's Cave, which should tell you something about her works, yes? And you'd be right. <br />
<br />
The one I read was <a href="http://www.loose-id.com/alien-terrain.html">Alien Terrain</a> It released not to long ago and it's the story of a very Plain Jane Bard and a very hot Alien by the name of Raj. <br />
<br />
As near as I can tell, this book - like her others from Loose - is set sometime in the future. Aliens have come to Earth and become the world's prostitutes. The men mostly, mind you and I have to say, Iris Astres writes one very hot, very lovable Alpha Male!<br />
<br />
Now, I won't go on and on about how good the work is. For what it is, it's very good and left me quite hot and bothered, but not for the reasons you might think. <br />
<br />
It didn't fail for me, so much as left me wanting more of it - but in a completely different way. As I said above, I like more to a story than just sex or just 'tying someone up' to 'tie them up'. And in truth, there was enough of the story in Alien Terrain to give you a general idea of the world and so on. But, to me, they were blips, like commercials. The kind that make you go, "Hey, I want that, I'm going to add it to my shopping list."<br />
<br />
What I think, and please, keep in mind this is only my opinion, Ms. Astres should have done was expand the work. Give us more than just the sex please. The concept and ideas she's come up with are excellent and that's the only thing that would have made this a 5-Dildo read for me, instead of just a 4-Dildo one.<br />
<br />
Ms. Astres' writing is strong and as I said, she writes a very hot, very lovable Alpha Male in Raj. But I wanted more. I wanted his backstory, I wanted to know what drove him to Earth to work in the Body House. Why did he leave Brackus and why did he even choose the life of a Bod anyway? I also would have liked to see what brought Earth to the point it was, why/how did Humans get into the situation and so on.<br />
<br />
And Ms. Astres' earlier works may have done just that, but that wasn't the one I was reading at the time. If you're going to have a series then you need to connect them, sure, but also have them stand on their own. I haven't read any of Ms. Astres' other works, so I have no idea what she's done in them or with them. <br />
<br />
Do I want to? Maybe.<br />
<br />
Would I recommend this work? No. Not for a first time read. If anything, I'd recommend starting with <a href="http://www.loose-id.com/authors/g-k/iris-astres/the-body-house.html">The Body House</a> which seems to be the beginning of the series.<br />
<br />
Would I recommend this Author? Definitely! As I said, her writing is strong and I fell, hard, for Raj. If she's half as competent with her other works, then yes, she's definitely worth adding to my 'Watch List'. Meaning, if something else comes along, I'm more than likely to pick it up and give it a read. And, please see #1 way up there, as I don't have a lot of time to read, that's an accomplishment by any Author where that's concerned. <br />
<br />
If you make it to <strong>my </strong>Watch List, you've truly done something rare and beautiful. You've captured my attention and that is something many have tried and most have failed to do!<br />
<br />
So, on that note, I have to give <a href="http://www.loose-id.com/authors/g-k/iris-astres/alien-terrain.html">Alien Terrain</a> the official 4-Dildo review and say Kudos to you Ms. Astres. Now, go back, expand and maybe the re-write - or the next one - will get the Blessed Fifth and most beautiful Golden Dildo!<br />
<br />
As always, Keep Reading, Keep Writing and Keep Reaching for Your Dreams, no matter what they are!<br />
<br />
Thanks for stopping by.<br />
<br />
Lady Blade.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969592028208954104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366115593426805652.post-67645697128473013982013-04-03T20:29:00.001-07:002013-04-03T20:29:23.812-07:00An Introduction to Lady BladeFor those of you who don't know me, yet, let me introduce myself.<br />
<br />
My name is Lady Blade. And no, I'm not a Lord Figther, though I do collect swords and knives as a hobby.<br />
<br />
I've been writing Female Dominant works now for almost 10 years...<br />
<br />
Ok, wow. Erm, give me just a moment for that to sink in...<br />
<br />
Alright, there we go. *clears throat* I'm back.<br />
<br />
Sorry about that. It just came as a bit of a shock that my first work, <a href="https://sizzlereditions.com/2013/03/mansion-of-slaves-a-tale-of-training-in-submission-by-lady-blade/">Mansion of Slaves</a> released in 2003.<br />
<br />
I've since published five others with Reneissance Ebooks. All of which can be found here: <a href="https://sizzlereditions.com/our-authors/a-b/lady-blades-sizzler-editions-ebooks/">https://sizzlereditions.com/our-authors/a-b/lady-blades-sizzler-editions-ebooks/</a><br />
<br />
The latest of which were BDSM, Inc and Awakenings. Awakenings is Book 1 in a new series called Blood In the Moon. It introduces you to My version of Werewolves and will continue for several more. At this point, I have Book 2 almost finished with at least 2 more planned after that.<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's just a brief blip about myself. I will post more as time goes by. For now though, I'll give you just a brief excerpt from my latest, Awakenings...<br />
<br />
---------------------<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
A trig cracked,
jerking him out of his thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Dillon</span>
swung around, crouching low, drawing the big .44 Auto-Mag into his hand without
thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got a steady bead on the
area of the sound, waiting patiently for whoever was there to show
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Roses drifted
on the air and he jerked in surprise. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know who you are, but sneaking up on
people is a very bad idea,” he called out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“especially when it’s me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Her voice
sounded raw, guttural, almost like a growl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Y-you need to leave.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He searched the
shadows for her location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put command
in his voice, firm and unflinching. “Can’t do that lady, I think it would be
best if you left the
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“I-I can’t,”
she whispered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The two words
were strangled, hoarse with just a tiny tremor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A shadow moved and he trained the weapon on it, sure and steady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want to shoot you, but I will if you
leave me no choice.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Y-you need
t-to g-go,” she said again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I-I won’t
be in c-control m-much l-longer.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He paused,
perplexed, lowering the weapon ever so slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The full moon was just rising over the lake, covering
everything with an eerie glow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
stepped from around the tree and he trained the sights on her chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t move.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Her fingers
worked, clenching into fists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shook
visibly and her chest heaved in and out like she was having trouble getting
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Y-you need…t-to g-go,”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“I can’t do
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, what do you want?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She growled
again, the sound rumbling and intense on the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes glowed, but he couldn’t be sure if
it was caused by the moonlight or something more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She jumped, springing high into the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dillon’s finger reacted before his brain and
the .44 boomed in his hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She twisted in
mid-air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A soft whimper came from her
throat when she hit the ground and lay still.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Son of a
bitch!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He holstered the weapon, rose
from his crouch and moved next to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His heart ached, clenching in his chest inexplicably as he reached for
her still form.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She rolled
away, coming to her feet again, lips pulled back in a nasty looking snarl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She panted, chest heaving in and out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood pooled just over her breast, turning
her white t-shirt dark.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Son of a bitch!”
he cursed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He backpedaled, drawing
his weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lady,” he warned, getting
another bead on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The back door
of the cabin slammed open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cody barreled
down the grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dillon!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He ignored his
partner, keeping eye contact with the woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Lady, don’t move,” he warned again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She ignored
him, charging forward with another deep, growling snarl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody’s nine
boomed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She twisted
slightly but didn’t fall a second time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Despite the
ache in his heart, he pulled the trigger, hitting her square between the eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Her head flipped
back, stopping her in mid-charge.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The most
amazing thing happened next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her head
came up, the rumbling growl in her chest deepened and she smiled a feral,
crazed smile…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She titled her
head slowly, the smile widening on her face, the growl getting louder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hands unclenched and her fingers began to
elongate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Short hairs sprouted on her
arms and she lifted her head toward the night sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A long, pain filled howl split the air.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Dillon!” Cody
shouted again, sliding to a stop next to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His nine trained on the woman and both of them stood there watching.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Bones cracked,
sinew and muscle popped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her face went
from a thing of beauty to a hideous monstrosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her nose and chin slid outwards, her teeth
dipped and twisted, reforming along the new snout, gleaming brightly in the
moonlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The yellow glow in her eyes
intensified, narrowing at them as hair sprouted through the pours of her
skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Her arms
rotated and snapped, the muscles pulsating as they doubled in mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her ribs caved inward, crackling loudly as
they reformed into a hard looking plate of bone. Her breasts flattened,
shrinking beneath the new bone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
thighs tripled in size, sprouting the same golden brown hairs that covered the
rest of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Another howl
ripped from her throat, sending the hairs on the back of his neck upright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within moments of the first shot, a
completely new threat stood before them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Deadly teeth gleamed with saliva, long claws sparkled in the moonlight
and it was a good eight feet tall!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
It charged
again, howling loudly…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Dillon’s finger
reacted before he could give it an order, squeezing down rapidly on the hair
trigger of the big weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six shots
ripped across the air, each impacting the creature dead center in its
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t have time for shock,
that would come later he knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right
then he was running on instinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody’s 9mm
joined in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The creature
stopped, looking down at its chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was still upright, still a monumental threat and both he and Cody began
reloading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It lifted its long head
giving off an anguished howl.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Dillon lifted
the big .44, centered it and pulled the trigger a second time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rounds peppered the creature’s upper body
sending tufts of hair, skin and blood into the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It twisted away, howling as Cody’s 9mm once
more joined his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The shots rang
in his ears…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Boom…boom…boom…boom…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Over and over
his finger squeezed the trigger, dealing with the threat just as he’d been
trained to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His emotions were gone;
there was no caring, no thought, just reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He emptied his
second clip, flipping the eject lever with a thumb and reached for a third.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The creature charged, head down, saliva
dripping, fangs bared, growling low and deep in its chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arms the size of two by fours swung out,
catching them both mid-chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He flew through
the air, landing hard seconds later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
rolled as much as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scrambling
back to his feet, he trained the weapon on the creature just in time to see
Cody dangling from its large claw.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Holy shit,” he
breathed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It moved fast, faster than
was humanly possible, but then again, it…no, she, wasn’t human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em><span>She </span></em>was something more; something that
shouldn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hesitated to pull
the trigger again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d taken at least
20 bullets so far and it obviously hadn’t phazed her in the slightest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody croaked,
dangling a good six inches off the ground, clawing at the creatures forearm
with little effect. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
His finger
eased down on the trigger, sites lined up with the back of her head when the
most unexpected thing happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
quickly as her change and the attack had happened, it seemed to end.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
She dropped
Cody.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like that and if he hadn’t
seen it with his very own eyes, he’d never have believed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her chest heaved in and out, hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hand dropped to the side and the wide
shoulders hunched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It weaved on its
feet, turning unsteadily in his direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She stumbled and Dillon centered the sights between her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Don’t make me
kill you,” he said tightly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
For just a
moment the glowing yellow of her eyes changed again, becoming the golden-green
he remembered from their first meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A tiny whimper echoed off the trees before she turned and loped off into
the forest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Holy fuck,”
Cody breathed, sitting up from the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“What the hell was that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
He holstered
the weapon, moving to his side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
didn’t know if she’d be back, but it was better not to take chances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How she’d gotten past the claymores he didn’t
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were more weapons inside and
having some heavier artillery just in case she did return would make him feel a
hell of a lot better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know, but
we’d best get inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hurt?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody shook his
head, rubbing a hand over his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Did I see what I think I just saw?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> the girl from the
city, wasn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“It was,” Dillon
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She just appeared out of
nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was normal at first.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody coughed a
couple of times, rising shakily to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He scooped the 9mm up off the grass and gave it a quick once over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah normal my ass,”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, we’ll need bigger weapons to go
after it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Cody’s hand
reached up and dragged him to a stop at the base of the stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re <u><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">not</span></u> serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
thing took 20 shots, at least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>News
flash buddy, it’s still walking.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“I know,” He
agreed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This means that it’s
going to take a hell of a lot more to bring it down than a 9 millimeter and a .44
Auto-Mag my friend.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10969592028208954104noreply@blogger.com0