Vixenwriter

How about an oldie? Here’s a scene from Threat of Darkness when Mei comes back after three thousand years and everyone, including her mother and her husband Jayce, had thought her dead.

THREAT OF DARKNESS by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2007, Lauren Dane

“Mei, we’re going in now. I’ve asked for a private audience so it’ll just be your mother, her secretary and three of her Favored guards. She doesn’t know you’ll be with me. There are things you don’t know. Things she doesn’t know. But…I’m asking you to trust me. Can you please do that? Hold on for a bit and it’ll become more clear.”

Mei inclined her head. “Of course.”

Taking one of her hands, the Donovan taking the other, the twelve-foot-high doors opened up and the trio walked in.

Aine, who’d been merrily chatting with her secretary, turned around, smiling as she saw Freya and the Donovan and then stopped, eyes widening and mouth dropping open in shock when she saw Mei.

“No!” Aine’s hand went to her throat. “It can’t be! What cruel trick is this?” Her rage heated the room, made the flesh on Mei’s arms itch.

Mei watched her mother through narrowed eyes until the flash of red hair drew her attention. Slowly she turned to see Jayce. Just as he saw her. She nearly sank to her knees. Would have done had Freya and the Donovan not been holding her up.

“Mei?” Jayce’s voice was a tortured whisper.

Confusion made it difficult to form words. “They said you were dead! They said you died the first year at Carthau!” Had he been a part of their plan to exile her?

Aine stood, her power shimmering around her, the room growing hot with it. Fury shot from her eyes. “Tell me the meaning of this evil trick immediately! How dare you come to my court with this trickery!”

“This is your daughter, Aine.” Freya’s voice was soft but it rang clear through the room, cutting through the chaos and silencing everyone.

“My daughter died over three thousand years ago on the battlefield in Sareem. My sister saw the body herself.”

“Your sister knew Mei was taken prisoner at Sareem. She had a terrible wound. They took her to Carthau.” The Donovan watched Aine through compassionate eyes.

Mei shook. Her world crumbled around her and she couldn’t even process what she’d been hearing.
“No! Why would Eire do such a thing? I don’t believe you. This is a trick.”

“What do we have to gain from such a trick?”

Mei pulled her hands loose and stood forward. “Trick? Wouldn’t that be an easy way to get around your treachery, mother? I wish to the gods it had been a trick. A thousand years I rotted in that place. Beaten and worse. Starved of my magic. Told my lover was dead. When the Donovan found me I was… Well I don’t want to think about what I was. But I dragged myself back here and you refused to see me. Had your seneschal tell me about my father and brothers’ deaths. Due to the shame I’d caused you my title and lands were stripped from me and I was exiled. What trick are you playing to stand there as if you were the one wronged? Has Jayce been a part of this plan from the start?”

Aine shook her head, mouth opening and closing but no words coming. “You can’t be my child,” she managed to whisper.

“There’ve been many days in the last three thousand years I’ve wished just that.” Mei turned and pulled her hair away from the mark on her shoulder. The three circles that marked her as a member of the royal family glowed with the magic of Tir na nOg.

A sound of anguish so deep, so ragged that it tore at Mei’s gut sounded, echoing through the room. Turning, she saw Jayce, tears streaming down his face, walking toward her.

“Mei, they said you were dead.”

She heard the pain in his voice, the depth of loss and longing, and all she could do was look at him, at the features she’d adored so much. Still did.

Still, she wasn’t sure she could trust his tears. When he pulled her into his arms a sob wanted to break from her but she held it in. He held her tight but she didn’t return the embraceit . Didn’t know if she could. And it wasn’t so simple anymore.

“Why?” Aine’s voice was close and Mei looked up to see her mother staggering toward them, two of her guards flanking her. “Why would anyone do this? I buried my child millennia ago. Could it be? Oh my baby.”

“It’s her. She has the mark. I would not lie to you, Aine,” the Donovan assured her.

“Who told you? Who sent you away?” Aine demanded of Mei.

Mei pushed herself away from Jayce but he stayed close to her. “Like you didn’t know. But I’ll keep playing. Brian, the seneschal. I came back and he met me at the doors to my suite. He told me Nessa was dead, that Jayce had died in the first year at Carthau and Con and Finn were dead too. He said I’d shamed you by letting myself be taken prisoner and that I’d been stripped of lands, title and property and exiled. He had an order with your signature on it. Aunt Eire came out and sent me away. I’ve not been able to sift back here until today.”

Aine’s face threatened to crumple. “I…I would never do that to you. How could you believe that? Mei, I’m your mother, I love you. I’ve grieved every day since they told me you’d been killed.”

“Your signature was on the paper! The spell that exiled me was very powerful. Certainly not something many Fae could manage. Your own man told me you’d exiled me and Aunt Eire backed him up. What else could I believe? And no one came for me in Carthau.” Her hands curled into tight fists. She still had nightmares that even Card couldn’t stave off. “I waited. Goddess I waited. A thousand years I was there!”

Aine pushed Jayce out of the way and looked into Mei’s face, cupped her cheek. Mei clenched her jaw but Aine wouldn’t let her move away. “My darling girl, I love you. I’ve loved you since the moment I knew you existed within me. One reckless afternoon, oh I was stupid! But you came from that and I’d never trade it away. I didn’t know. I didn’t know. I grieved, I wanted to die when they told me you were dead on that battlefield. Your aunt…I don’t… We’ll get to the bottom of this, I swear to you. But now you’re back. My child is back. You must believe me, I would have moved heaven and earth to get you out of that hellhole if I’d known you were alive!”

Aine waited, tears shimmering in her eyes as she took in Mei’s face. “Please, please believe me. Let me be your mother. Let us find the answers we need.” She threw her arms around Mei and the two women hugged as each one wept. Mei didn’t know what to think but it felt so good to be with her mother again.

In the background Mei heard Jayce’s voice harden. “Send for Eire at once. Go in person, Cullen. Do not tell her of this and bring her in the back through her majesty’s personal rooms.”

He stepped forward. “Majesty, we need to get to the bottom of this. Let’s have Mei stand back so she can’t be seen when Eire enters the room.”

“How could my sister do this?” Aine stood back and looked between Mei and Jayce, confusion and pain clear on her face.

“Pull yourself together, Aine! She wants the throne, has done for a very long time and you’ve remained blind as she’s smiled while she’s lied to you.” The Donovan stepped forward. “I’ve tried to tell you this, I know I’m not the only one.” His voice was a whip.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you’ve never told me of Mei’s existence in all these years, Carl. There will be a reckoning to pay.” Aine narrowed her eyes at him and stood back, visibly putting herself back together. Placing the mantle of her leadership on like a cloak. “What do you know, Carl? Obviously Dark Fae are involved. But not Bron. He’s dead.”

“Eire’s in collusion with the Dark Fae and has been from day one. That’s obvious to us. The council has suspected for a long while that not only has Eire been with them since she sent Mei away but that she may have had something to do with the ambush at Sareem.”

Mei spun. “What? You never told me this! How could you keep this from me, Donovan? My own aunt is the reason I spent all those years in Carthau? You knew and let her live?”

“I’m sorry, Mei. Yes, I’ve known and no I didn’t tell you. I was not allowed to tell you. I wanted to, I argued for it for millennia. But I was not allowed to reveal it until today.”

“Why today?” Aine demanded.

“The Dark Fae have been more active of late. Not just the attack in New Orleans and here in the palace four years ago, but since. They’ve been gathering in other worlds, Aine.”

“How so? The Concordant restricts the numbers of Fae, keeps them from sifting in large groups. That’s why it was created—to stop armies of Fae from sifting elsewhere to make war.”

The Donovan sighed. “Think about it, Aine.”

Aine paled. “Rifts?”

“Yes. And it’s stressing the fabric of space-time. I’m not sure how much longer before something very bad happens and they won’t be able to close it. From our intelligence we know they haven’t quite mastered the spell yet. They can only keep it open for brief periods of time, less than ten minutes. But they’ve been moving people and getting ready. This must be dealt with.”

“She’s coming, Jayce,” one of the guards said quietly as he stood at the door.

“Mei, stand over there. Be silent until we draw her in. She will pay for this.” Jayce pressed a quick, hard kiss on her lips and withdrew.

Eire came into the room all Fae magic and bouncy curls. As a child Mei had adored her aunt but her betrayal had killed all that and a murderous fury rode Mei’s spine. To top it off the look she sent Jayce didn’t escape Mei’s attention. Jealous rage sliced through her at that look. She knew then another reason why Eire wanted her out of the way.

“What is it, Aine? You sent for me?” Eire’s hair was golden, much like Mei’s, her voice musical.

Freya put a hand on Mei’s shoulder to keep her silent.

“Yes I did, sister. I wanted to talk with you about Mei. The anniversary of her…death is approaching and I always find myself so sad. Do you know someone came to me earlier today and told me my child was alive?”

Eire laughed prettily and then frowned. “Sister, do not let these rumors hurt you. She is gone. Dead on the battlefield, and you know I always said you were silly to let her go out there when she should have been here at your right hand. You could try to have another child. Or I could.” Again the coy look at Jayce and Mei’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Jayce stood, back stiff, one hand clasping the other wrist at his waist. His sword gleamed at his side.

Aine’s jaw clenched a moment and then relaxed as she attempted to conceal her anger. “I hate to say this but the person, the one who told me Mei was alive, indicated that you knew this.”

Eire put a hand to her throat in dismay. “Sister! How could you say such a thing to me? She is…”

“Alive and well apparently. Despite your attempts to the contrary.” Aine stood and motioned for her guards to grab her sister.

“What is the meaning of this? I demand you let me go!”

Aine motioned at Mei to come forward.

“Hello, Aunt. How are you?” Mei’s voice was edged with violence.

Eire froze and stared, pretty green eyes wide with shock. Actress that she was, she quickly fell back into her role. “Darling girl! You’re alive. How can that be?” She turned to Aine. “Why do have me held so that I cannot embrace my niece?”

“Do you think I would let your treachery come near my child again? Do you think I’m that much of a fool?”

Be sure to visit today’s other snippeters!
Emma Petersen
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Shelli Stevens
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Vivian Arend
Elisabeth Naughton
Juliana Stone
Shelley Munro

Like many others, I find a great deal of inspiration from art of all kinds. I’ve always been a voracious reader and music is part of my daily life as well. When I write, I listen to music. Sometimes just my iTunes on shuffle, sometimes to a special tracklist I’ve created for a work in progress and sometimes I’ll just want to hear a certain artist (Today I listened to Sade’s new CD Soldier of Love several times. Her voice is so beautiful).

For me, Laid Bare is strongly rooted in my love of music. Like Erin, I find strength and inspiration through music and like Erin, I like to think music shapes my art. It’s my tip of the hat to all those musicians who’ve shaped me and my books, about the kind of woman Erin is – vibrant, strong, dark and imperfect.

I thought I’d choose a scene from the opening of the book when Erin and Todd first meet.

LAID BARE by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2009, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

Music, raw and hard like sex, pulsed through the speaker stack, caught the people in front of the stage as much as it had her in its grip.

The bass line throbbed through her like a second pulse as the scent of beer and sweat settled into her system. Sweat slicked her forehead and slid down the line of her spine. The muscles in her forearm corded as she played, her fingers finding their way as they had time and again. A secret smile marked her lips as her halflidded eyes focused on something not visible to anyone else.

Yes, it was a man’s world up there, but she’d kicked down the door with her Doc Martens and she wasn’t giving her spot to anyone else. She loved making music, and it fit her like a second skin.

It made her alive.

Her dreads swung forward, partially obscuring her face—adding, she knew, to the overall effect. Her belly, glistening with sweat, slid against the back of her bass where her shirt ended and her low-slung jeans began.

Up there, under the blue lights, she didn’t have to work at it.

She was. She was exactly where she wanted to be, a guitar strapped to her body, calluses on her fingers from playing. The muscles in her upper arms were well defined because she hauled equipment around for gigs. There wasn’t any doubt, any self-consciousness. She lived the life she wanted.

Erin Brown had stopped apologizing for wanting things. She grabbed experiences with both hands and gobbled them down.

Even if the band never made it beyond small, local rock clubs, she’d be happy to just keep playing. There wasn’t much more you could ask for in life, and Erin accepted her blessings quite happily and graciously.

Todd took a pull from his beer, one leg bent as he leaned against the windowsill, looking out toward the street. There she was, getting out of her beat-up van. He had no idea why the hell he did it, but since
he’d moved to the day shift he found himself at his window every night at six-fourteen to watch her make the walk from car to door.

She was so not the kind of woman who usually caught his eye.

Still, his fingers gripped the sill as he greedily took in the way she moved. Like she couldn’t care less if people watched. Or worse, got off on it.

Long and lean, her gait ate up the walk, her dreadlocks swinging to her ass. A fine ass it was in those faded jeans. If he looked close enough, he saw the threadbare spots just beneath the pockets.

Reflexively, he tightened his hands into fists as tension hummed through him. Anticipation and a sort of need filled his gut as he watched her.

He snorted at what an idiot he was being. Dreadlocks. What woman wore dreadlocks? Not his sort of woman, that was all there was to it.

Time stopped, along with his heart, when she turned at her door and met his gaze with a smile. A smile that told him she’d known he watched. Surprised but rooted to the spot, he raised a hand in greeting.

She paused a moment before tipping her chin at him.

Briefly he relaxed as she turned back to her door, but that slid away when she paused again, dropped her bag on the porch and turned back toward his place.

Shit.

Be Sure To Visit Today’s Other Snippeters!

Lissa Matthews
Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

Okay here’s the deal, I signed up for today, which is Scary/Horror and I knew it was this theme and I’m not sure why I did because my stuff that’s scary isn’t finished so I can’t post it and the rest is thriller-ish or sort of horrifying, but not scary.

Anyhoodle, after like twenty minutes of cycling through my books I just said, “I should just admit I got nothing and put up something else.” So that’s what I’m doing. I figure since I didn’t follow the rules, I can give you an uber sneaky peek from INSIDE OUT.

This is rough, I’m revising now to turn in to my editor, but I hope you enjoy it. Oh and don’t forget to visit today’s other snippeters who probably signed up and had stuff on topic, LOL!

INSIDE OUT by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2010, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Berkley Publishing Group
Releasing November, 2010!

“My kid is smart. Everyone knows that.” Brody tried to sound tough, but Cope heard the pride and love in his voice. “She was pretty damned proud of herself. Elise and I told her if she kept it up, we’d go to Disneyland next summer.”

A burst of laughter and chattering rose and then faded again. Todd came in the front door with a few more of their friends. Cope half listened to them, taking the beer handed his way, nodding his head. But his attention was focused on that hallway.

The door opened and the sound level rose high enough that the men silenced, their attention snagged as they turned toward the noise.

Elise came first, her pale, elegant beauty highlighted by a deep red sweater and a black skirt that came to mid thigh. The woman had spectacular legs, no doubt. Brody’s mouth curved into a smile as he took her in. Envy crept into Cope’s heart, he wanted that. Wanted to look at a woman and know she was the one.

Erin looked pretty and damned pregnant in a high waisted dress with big red roses on it. Ben sighed happily. Cope would skip telling his brother about the conversation he’d had with their sister earlier that day. Despite Ben’s happiness and success, their father and sister had walled Ben out of their life. It galled Cope to no end. Ben had been the golden boy, the kid who rarely got in trouble in school, got great grades. He had been a good cop, a good friend and no doubt, he was a great brother. Their father’s reaction was stupid and it split their family in half.

When Erin went into his arms, Cope was happy Ben had that connection, thrilled for his brother that he’d built something unexpected and wondrous with not just one person, but two.

But he wasn’t looking for them. He turned his attention back to the hallway. Waiting. Anticipation and then a punch to the gut followed as Ella followed, her normally sleek, short red hair was tousled and curled. Her usually bare of makeup face bore just a bit, but enough to line those spectacular eyes. Her lips were stained dark, calling to his gaze, wondering for the millionth time what she’d taste like.

She wore pants, she usually did, he’d wager it had to do with the scarring on her legs. But she wore them well. Tight, with boots on her feet, showcasing legs that went on and on and on. Damn. The shirt, shit, if you could call it that, it was more of a corset with enough fabric to cover her areola. Her breasts, usually not on display though she couldn’t hide their size, even in a t-shirt, heaved up, mounds of creamy flesh, freckles sprinkled across the luscious curves.

Christ.

“Wow. You ladies look gorgeous.” Brody got up, moving to Elise and no one else existed for the two of them for long moments. Their connection was palpable and staggeringly intimate to see. Cope couldn’t tear his attention away.

In that connection to Elise, Brody had gained a whole new level to his identity, a new layer that Cope wanted for himself.

“You guys just going to hang out here all night?” Elise asked, blushing as she broke her gaze from Brody.

“Maybe.” Brody grinned and kissed his wife to be quickly before turning to his sister. He touched the belly and kissed the top of Erin’s head. “You better take care of yourself.”

“You can’t smoke indoors anymore so the air will be clean of that. I have no plans to drink and I have enough energy to sit at the table and watch everyone else dance while I eat a few of the red velvet cupcakes Ella brought.” Erin smiled sweetly at her brother. “Anyway, we all know you’ll show up in an hour or two, so I’m sure Ben and Todd will take care of me once that happens.”

“I like that color on you.” Cope moved nearer to Ella so he could speak just to her. “Sets off your skin and hair.” The shirt was deep blue with just enough purple to compliment her skin outrageously. The breasts helped, in the way breasts always did. But this was more and he let himself drift a little closer.

“Thanks. It was Erin’s idea. I don’t normally…” She waved around her breasts. “You know, show this much boob.”

He was sure his grin was wolfish because she was ringing his bell like it was dinner time. Christ what she did to him without even knowing it. “Ella, I must dissuade you from that policy. You have beautiful breasts. They’re a delightful addition to anything you wear. Trust me, please.”

Her laugh was sultry. On a lower register than her speaking voice. Which wasn’t that hard given her normal voice. And beyond sexy. He was sure that was her sexually interested laugh. She’d finally reacted to him as a woman did to a man she was truly flirting with. Victory flushed through him, and hope that things could move forward with her at long last.

“I’ll um, keep that in mind.” Her lips quirked up in one corner.

“You know, you’re like a cartoon character. Like a quirky superhero.” Holy shit, did he just say that out loud?

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

Today’s theme is Dumped! So I thought I’d use an excerpt from LAID BARE when Erin dumps Todd ten years before…

LAID BARE by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2009, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

“I don’t know how to talk to you.” He scrubbed his hands over his face.

“Why do you make simple things so complicated? Maybe you should stop worrying so much and just talk to me. Be yourself. Why don’t you tell me about yourself? We’ve been, um, dating for a few months now, but you don’t talk about yourself much.”

He took a bite of pizza and watched her carefully. “Not much to tell. Seattle born and bred. Being a cop runs in the family. My dad, both brothers and my sister are cops. I’m single because I broke off an engagement about a year and a half ago. I’m dating around right now. It’s hard to find a woman who accepts the whole cop’s wife thing.”

Erin looked at him and thought over what she’d heard.

“Maybe you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“What do you mean?” He shifted uncomfortably. “Look, Erin, I like you and all, but this . . . thing between us is just fun. No offense but we’re not suited at all.”

It shouldn’t have hurt, but it did. He was delusional. “Bullshit.” She finished the first slice and leaned back. “I’m not asking you to marry me or anything. But we connect, Todd Keenan. You spend so much time trying to just be fucking normal, you get tripped up in it. Just be yourself. Yes, you like dirty talk. You’re kinky, big deal. Why do you fight so hard against what you seem to really like? I like it, I’m willing. You come hard. Why do you deny yourself this way?”

“It’s not who I am!” He stood and stormed into the kitchen. She heard the plate clatter and she wiped her mouth.

“Is it so fucking awful? It’s not like you want to wear a chicken suit while you fuck someone wrapped in plastic wrap or something. You don’t, do you?” She laughed but stopped when he growled and stomped back into the living room.

“It’s not who I am, damn you! Look, it’s you and me. I’m not like this with other women. I’m gentle and the sex is nice. I don’t know what comes over me when you’re near. It’s not right. I wasn’t . . . I’m not supposed to like it.”

She shrugged. What else could she do? Beg him to be who he was? When he thought being who he was, who she was, made them some kind of freaks? “The last thing I want to do is force you into talking dirty and begging me to suck your cock with my fingers in your ass, stroking your prostate.”

He winced and petty satisfaction settled in. He liked it. Got off on it. And it was her fault he was so damned repressed he hated himself over it?

She grabbed her bag. “I’ll spare you the it was fun talk and you can spare me the it’s not you, it’s me stuff. Okay?” Hesitating, she sighed and tiptoed up to kiss him quickly. “I hope you find a place in your life when you can let go and be happy. But I’m not a dirty secret. I’m not bad and wrong for being comfortable with myself, and I won’t let you make me feel that way.”

He slammed a hand against the wall next to her and then grabbed her around the waist, pulling her flush against his body.

“Damn it, Erin, I don’t lose control. I’m a controlled man. I make good choices. I don’t fuck women against alley walls. It’s offputting.”

“Really now? So who fucked me in that alley, Todd? Your doppelganger? Who shoved my mouth down on his cock in his truck three nights ago when we got back from the grocery store? You like it rough. You like it dirty. Why are you so ashamed of it? You didn’t hurt me. I was there with you every step of the way.”

“I don’t want to like it, damn it. Can’t you understand that? I don’t choose to like it. I don’t want to be the man who likes to fuck rough! I choose not to be him.” He shoved a hand through his hair.

Pain sliced through her. “I get it. You think being with me is a bad choice.”

“It’s not . . . I didn’t plan for you, Erin. I like you.”

“But you don’t like who you are when you’re with me. You blame this on me and I’m not having it. I won’t be responsible for your life. You’re a big boy.”

“No. Oh fuck, I don’t know. This is very intense. I have an intense job. I’m not sure if I need an intense personal life too.”

“I see.” She looked into his eyes, wishing he’d wake up and see her. See them and what they could have together.

“You keep saying that, Erin. But how can you see? I don’t even see.”

“All I see is a man who can’t face himself. And it makes me sad, because you’re alive when we’re together and you’re not hiding who you are. You’re playing a game with this, a stupid game. Why I don’t know, because I like who you are. I won’t play this game with you. I’m worth more and so are you.” She leaned up, pressed her hand over his heart and kissed his chin. “Good-bye, Todd. I wish you well, I really do. If you change your mind, give me a call. Maybe I’ll be available.”

He watched her walk out the door and told himself it was for the
best, but he knew he was lying to himself. Just like she said he was.
Be Sure To Visit Today’s Other Snippeters!
Lissa Matthews
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Shelli Stevens
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

How about an excerpt from NO RESERVATIONS? Kate and Leah both have their own reasons for escaping the holidays back east and have headed to Vegas together for some girlfriend time…

NO RESERVATIONS by MEGAN HART and LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2009, Megan Hart and Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Random House

‘You’re a bitch when you drink champagne,’ Leah snickered. ‘Do you think I have to keep it? You know, bring it out when they visit and stuff?’

‘So you’ve accepted they’ll visit? You’ve accepted you and Bingo have a capital F future then? You know you want to marry him, Leah. He’s young and eager and yes, he makes me want to ruffle his hair. If I could reach it without standing on a chair that is. But he’s a good dude. He loves you. He accepts you and respects your space. He gets you—in and out of bed. He has a job. He’s not a dick like Mike. He’ll apparently grow into a hot older man like his dad. And you’ll have a lifetime supply of doilies and BeDazzled shirts. Lastly and most importantly, he doesn’t have an ex-wife.’

‘Marriage? It seems like such a big step. I do not appreciate that he planned to do it there. He should have done it in private. He should have discussed it with me first!’

‘You know he did it because that’s how he thinks. He wanted to make a statement to you about how important you are to him. I bet asking women to marry them at Christmas with the family is important down in Hooterville. If you weren’t ancient, he would have given you his Four H pin or whatever the fuck.’

‘Hooterville, ha! You’re going to hell for making me laugh about this.’

‘You can sit at my table in the cafeteria.’

They paid and went outside, relaxed, mildly intoxicated, still full from an awesome sushi lunch and all prettied up. Kate hadn’t been so manicured and facialized in a while. Her roots were done, her pores were sparkling clean, her skin was soft and she smelled good. She wished Dix were there to get an eyeful.

Once they got in the cab heading back to the hotel, Leah got back to the subject. ‘We’re already living together, why isn’t that enough? And you’re one to talk. Dix wants to live with you and you keep putting him off.’

‘Of course I am. I would live with him if he didn’t have the whole daughter situation. I can’t be the slutty, selfish girlfriend who makes him think with his cock. I love him, Leah. He’s patient and kind, he thinks about what makes me happy. He loves to give oral sex and he’s damned good at it. He even had dinner with my parents at Thanksgiving! But I don’t want him to put his kids aside for me. I couldn’t live with that. He adores them. He’s a great, involved father. It’s only two more years. We can deal that long. I’m actually trying to see if I can take some of the cases further out of the city. There’s an entire division that deals with Lancaster and the surrounding environs. If I can do that three days a week, it might be a reality that I can move in with him and keep my place in the city.’

‘Have you told him about this?’

‘He only recently began the let’s move in together thing. He suggested we move to Lancaster which makes it halfway between our jobs and we each commute. Which is great but it doesn’t get at the situation with his daughters still going to school. While I don’t mind him commuting an hour, why should they give up the house he’s lived in for all these years?’

‘Because they’re old enough to deal with that. For God’s sake, they’re not eight years old. You said they were with Pickles most weekdays anyway because she was way closer to the school and their jobs.’

‘Back to you. I just think you should take a chance on Bingo. He’s worth it. He’s like way hot and stuff. He folds your laundry because it makes you happy. Christ, Leah, what man does that? He’s like, well listen, if he were five or six years older and not your boyfriend and Dix wouldn’t kill me and I didn’t love him and all, I’d nail Brandon myself.’

They got out and let the doorman get the door for them as they sauntered through the lobby, through the atrium and back toward the elevators.

‘Whore.’ Leah laughed as they rode up to their floor.

‘You know it. So when are you going to call him? He has to be worried.’

‘I know. After dinner tonight I will. Maybe I’ll go home when you do.’

They got off and walked around the serene, luxuriously appointed corner and what should they see but Dix and Bingo looking like they slept rough and very unhappy.

Kate stopped, sheepish. ‘Um. Guess you found where I was staying.’

Mouth in a hard line, Dix took the card key from her hand, opened the door, handed it to Brandon who looked equally pissed off, and turned back to Kate.

‘Which one is yours?’

She pointed to her room. He swatted her ass and pushed her along the way. She cast a look over her shoulder at Brandon and Leah before Dix slammed the door and menaced her.

‘No offense or anything, but one, you look like you slept on the floor of a Greyhound Bus and two, why are you here?’

He stepped toward her and she wrinkled her nose. ‘There’s a three, you smell like pee. Did Bingo have an accident or something?’

He threw up his hands and began to laugh. ‘Damn you, Kate. Why can you always disarm me? I’m supposed to be mad at you. Bingo? And why the fuck do you look so good? Being away from me means you turn into some fucking supermodel?’

She shoved him toward the bathroom. ‘I wouldn’t have had four glasses of champagne if I knew you’d be here. Bingo is apparently what Ma and Pa Kettle call Band Boy. If you tell him, I will have to kill you before Leah kills me so keep that to yourself. Get out of those clothes and into the shower. I can’t say I’ve ever had a thing for homeless, urine stinky men, even ones who can blow me until I scream.’

He got in and she brought back a glass of champagne just as he was getting out of the shower.

‘Thank you.’ He drank it in two swallows, put the glass down and hauled her to him for a kiss that left her tingly, shaky and breathless. ‘That’s better. I looked like I slept on the sticky floor of a Greyhound Bus because we spent last night at the ever so lovely Penny Pincher motor court about five miles from here with hot and cold running hookers with two-day beard growth and fishnet stockings in the lobby. By the way, he offered us a freebie. They had hourly rates. Brandon’s feet hung off the end of the bed. Which crinkled from the plastic lining on the mattress. My skin is still crawling. And here you are staying in the motherfucking penthouse suite at the Palisades! Why do you look so good? You smell like mango. Your hair is all soft and straight. Your breasts are very fetching in that blouse. What the fuck have you been doing?’

‘A guy I saved from a very nasty legal situation a few years ago works here. They had a last minute cancellation. It’s swank, no? I look rested because I am. I slept until eleven the last two mornings and I had breakfast served at the table out there while Kate and I leafed through magazines. Yesterday we shopped and lunched and went dancing. Today we had a spa day which included a massage, a facial, skin treatments including mango body butter, a manicure and a pedicure. Oh and I got my hair done. In between those things, we had sushi for lunch and flirted with servers. I also masturbated three times for no other reason than I could and I knew Leah wasn’t going to burst in without knocking and pretend she forgot I was in here. Why are you here? And most importantly, is Pickles with you?’

‘You test me, woman. You wouldn’t tell me where you were. I wanted to be with you. You promised me this entire winter break and I’m here to collect. Take those clothes off.’

She grinned. ‘How did you find me?’

‘Bingo has hotel connections. My God your tits look good.’ His hands replaced her bra and she arched into his touch.

‘I have a suggestion.’

‘I’m all ears and erection.’

‘We both owe the other a blow job, let’s start with that first.’

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Oh this was a hard one for me because I LOVE secondary characters so nearly all my books have groups of family or friends of some sort who are active in the story along with my hero and heroine. So first I decided on the character, my favorite secondary character of all my books – Polly Chase.

Polly Chase is based, in large part, on my mother-in-law’s personality. They look nothing alike, but the spirit is the same. Polly grew up in a world that has gone through many amazing changes. In a place that had whites only lunch counters for part of her childhood, but also Dr. King, Vietnam, huge changes in rights and opportunities for women, walking on the moon, the advent of birth control, televisions, computers. She’s not who she was when she married Edward as a young woman either. A lot has happened in her life and she’s triumphed because she is, at base, a strong person who knows exactly what she wants. Sometimes people don’t take her seriously because of the hair and the big Caddy, they think she’s a stereotype, but she doesn’t care and that’s what makes her so wonderful. She’s just Polly Chase. She loves her family fiercely, she’s protective and funny, she can be tough or tender and I just love her.

Of course THEN I had to choose the book and then the scene. I have several and in no particular order I’d say: The scene after the football game when Polly comforts Tate; the scene in Taking Chase when Polly rear-ends Cassie; the scene in Giving Chase when Kyle’s ex comes over on Thanksgiving and Polly gives them a talking to; Maggie’s baby shower in Chased, oh man any time she gets near babies or her boys get out of line.

So I settled on this one from Taking Chase when Shane and Cassie have had a big argument:

CHASE BROTHERS: TAKING CHASE by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2007, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Samhain Publishing

Polly Chase parked her car on Main and got out for the short walk to Paperbacks and More. “Damn kids. I tell you, if you want something done…” she mumbled as she patted her hair into place and absentmindedly waved at someone who’d called out a hello.

She walked into the store and zeroed in on Cassie. Her heart ached for the girl her son loved so much. Men!

“Hello, Polly.” Cassie smiled wanly.

Polly pulled Cassie into a hug and held her upper arms as she gave her a long up and down. “Honey, you look like hell. When you gonna forgive Shane so you can both get some sleep?”

“Polly, I appreciate you checking in on me, I really do. But this thing between your son and I is not only private but complicated.”

“Oh that’s a pretty way to tell an old woman to mind her business. I like you, honey.” Polly chuckled as she sat in the chair behind the counter. “But I’m a nosy old woman, it’s a perk of getting old. You can be annoying and people just call you eccentric.” Polly laughed at that. “Anyway, I know Shane messed up. I know what he did and how he reacted must have made you wonder if he’d be like your wretched sonabitch ex. But you and I both know after a day or two, that’s not the case. My son is a good man and that bitch gave him, how do you kids say, issues or baggage. I’m not excusing his actions, you best believe I tore a strip off him a mile wide and his father has too. But no one is punishing him harder than he is himself.”

Polly leaned in, peering intently at Cassie. “You’ve made mistakes before in your life. I know part of that is what makes you hesitate now. But also, can’t you see your way to giving my boy another chance? Let’s face it, you two are going to fight. A lot. There’s enough chemistry between the two of you to make an old woman sweat.”

Cassie blushed crimson and looked at the paperback in her hands to keep from looking at Polly.

“You two have chemistry and heat but you’re both stubborn, headstrong people. Lord knows this won’t be your last fight. But you can fight with your man and know it’s going to be all right the next day. Edward is the kind of man that butter wouldn’t melt. I like that. It suits me. But Shane isn’t that man. He’s got my disposition. We’re a tad hot headed. We love fierce. Shane loves you and I know you love him.”

Polly hopped down from the chair, grabbing the bag she’d put near the register stand. “Two things. This has a cherry and a peach cobbler. Eat them both, you look pale. The second thing is I already think of you as my daughter-in-law so I love you too. Please give Shane another chance, for both your sakes. Oh, okay a third thing. You call Matty or Marc or me and Edward if you feel spooked, all right? We worry.”

With that she thrust the bag at Cassie, hugged her again and click-clacked out of the store.

From there she headed over to the police station.

“Shane Edward Chase! You hold up right there, boy.” Polly thundered as she stormed down the hall toward where he stood with the county prosecutor.

“Mrs. Chase, ma’am.” The prosecutor, a boy she babysat many a time, bowed and got the hell out of there.

“Coward,” Shane muttered and then waved his mother into his office. “Have a seat, let me get some soda because I can see from the look of you this will be a long lecture.”

With narrowed eyes, Polly sat as she glared at her eldest’s impertinence. “You look here, boy, I brought you into this world, I will not hesitate to take your dumb ass right out of it.”

Shane laughed as he handed her a soda. “Of course, Momma, I’m sorry. I imagine this is about Cassie and I know, it’s my fault and I’m trying to get her to talk to me. I told you that yesterday and the day before and before that too.”

“I just went to see her, girl looks like she hasn’t slept in a week. She’s on the fence about you. But she loves you. She must ‘cause I didn’t let her get a word in edgewise.” Pleased with herself, Polly chuckled again. “I made a good case for you, I hope. You know you and her are gonna butt heads a lot, right? Makes it more interesting in the bedroom I imagine.”

Shane winced and got a sour look. “I don’t want to have that line of conversation with you, Momma.”

Polly waved him away. “Pshaw. Boy, you’ll have any line of conversation with me I tell you to. Your daddy and I have four children, you think we don’t have some chemistry ourselves? Now listen here, you’ve got to let her know that you love her and won’t hurt her, even though you’ll be fighting with her regular-like. And don’t deny it, you two are just that way. But Maggie and I made her some cobbler and you know how your sweetie loves cobbler. Sweeten her up a bit hopefully.”

Standing she raised the soda. “Thank you, Shane. You’ve turned out to be quite a decent man. I’m pretty proud of myself for not tossing your butt in the lake all the times I wanted to when you were a kid.”

Shane grinned and kissed her cheek. “You’re the best, Momma.”

“Yeah, yeah. Boy, you better work on this girl harder because if she’s not at dinner on Sunday you’re eating a tuna sandwich.”
With a last wave, she headed out while he chuckled.

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Today’s Theme is Departures so I thought I’d post the scene in RELENTLESS when Roman and Abbie have to break their relationship off…

FEDERATION CHRONICLES: RELENTLESS by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2009, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

“I’ll survive. That’s who I am and I knew, we knew.” She paused as he brushed against her sweet spot with the head of his cock. “I’d rather have had you for this short time than never at all.”

“Gods, look at me, look at me, Abbie so I can see how beautiful you are. I have all I want and still I want more. But what I want most, I can’t have. I’ve never had that feeling before. I can’t say that I like it.”

He reached up to cup her neck, her eyes locked with his and she tried not to cry. Tears wouldn’t make a bit of difference.
When she came it was deep, rolling muscle contractions that made her limbs warm and heavy. His lips opened and he exhaled softly as she felt his cock jerk inside her.

Roman kissed the top of her head as she rolled from atop him and to the side. All he ever wanted was right there in his arms.

“You’re going to need to keep an eye on Saul. I’ve got people on him now to try and protect you but I can’t stop all of it. I can’t stop the gossip and I can’t stop the speculation. I wish I could.”

She sniffed her tears away though her eyes shone with them and he wanted to howl his misery.

“I know. I’ll talk to Daniel tomorrow. Today I guess. My father…I’m afraid he’s going to try to use this. I’ll do what I can to rein him in. I’ll have Tasha keep all communication between her and Marcus or Deimos’ assistant. I know we can’t associate.”

She sat up and he looked at her, beautiful and tousled from sex. He swallowed hard. “Abbie, my Family is talking marriage negotiations. Things are so bad in inter-Family relations, infighting, lesser Families fighting to try and shove Walker and Pela out of the way to take over. A marriage would stabilize things a bit. I, I’m sorry and I want you to know I wish to gods it wasn’t happening but it will be. I love you. I want you and if the ‘Verse were different…”

A tear slid down her cheek, her bottom lip trembled and the cold, sweet splash of the tear fell on his belly. “But they aren’t. I knew you’d marry again. I’m not ready for it. I’m not ready to see you love anyone else. But I know it will happen.”

“Abbie,” he sat up and took her chin in his grasp, “I will never love anyone else. You mean everything to me. And if it was just me, I would walk away from it all. But it’s not. It’s my children and the entire Federated ‘Verses in such an unstable time. I’ve made mistakes and we’re already on the verge of war. There will never be anyone else in my heart. You own it. Always.”

She licked her lips, the tears flowing now. “Go. It’s very late. I know you have to go and people will be watching you. I love you. Just know that, all right? Do what you have to.”

He got up and pulled his clothes back on. “Stay here. I don’t…I can’t take it if you walk me to the door.”

His last look at the woman he loved, the way he’d loved her most, was at that last moment before he turned and left the room. Her soft sobbing echoed in his ears all the way home.

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Today’s theme is Arrivals so I thought I’d put up a snippet from COMING UNDONE:

COMING UNDONE by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2010, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Group
Releasing January 5!

Brody rode his bike up the driveway and turned the ignition off. When he slid his sunglasses down his nose, he watched Elise get out of her car, and smiled at all the crap she wrestled from the trunk as the kid bounced around the yard.

He saw her trash cans at the curb and thought, Why not?

Hailing her with a call of her name and a smile, he took one can per hand and carried them up toward where she stood. “Can I put these somewhere for you?”

“Um. Yeah, the garage. Here.” She bent into the car and hit the garage door opener. He didn’t fail to see how flexible she was, and a
brief flash of what she’d look like naked, sweaty and beneath him, flitted through his brain.

He hurried past and put the cans inside, stepping out as she closed the door again.

“Most people park in their garage.” He grinned.

“I will soon enough. Pete and Emmabeth—the couple who lived here before? They’re friends of a friend. They sold me this house on very short notice and asked if they could leave their furniture here in the garage until the fall. They went on a trip to see their kids and then to Europe.”

“Oh. I was wondering what happened to them. They were nice people. I’m glad they sold their house to another nice person.”

“Wow. You’re really good, aren’t you?”

She cocked her head ,and he realized she’d relaxed around him enough to actually joke, partially even flirt. Christ, her mouth, those eyes . . . He swallowed back the tide of longing, the urge to lean down and brush his lips over the curve of her cheek.

Instead he struggled for nonchalance. “I do try.”

“Thank you for bringing my cans in. How are you feeling?”

“Much better. No soreness anymore. My brother finally went home, and he and my sister only call to check on me twice a day. The bruises on my side”—he raised his T-shirt to show her—“are all gone. They arrested the guy, by the way. The one who hit me. He confessed it to several people. They tell me he’s going to make a guilty plea and go to rehab.”

She touched his side, a quick breath of a touch, and pulled back, blushing. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to touch you. I didn’t think.”

“It’s okay. I’m pretty sure my innocence is unsullied.”

She grinned. “Oh. Well, good. Um, listen, are you hungry? I was about to make some dinner.”

The air between them charged, heated. He shoved his hands in his back pockets before he ended up reaching out to touch her like he really wanted to. By the look in her eyes, she’d have been just fine with that touch, and that drove him insane. Still, he liked that
expectation in the air, liked the way it felt before either person made that first move.

There would be something between him and Elise. There was so much energy between them in the brief meetings they’d had, it would only grow the longer they knew each other. When the time was right, it would happen and he’d enjoy every single moment.

She licked her lips and he swallowed, hard, suddenly feeling like he was sixteen years old. He took a step closer and she didn’t retreat.

Just then Adrian showed up, honking his horn as he pulled up to the curb in front of Brody’s house. What timing his brother had.

He managed to bite back his groan of annoyance. “I’d love to, but my brother has apparently chosen now to stop over. Checking on me, I’d wager. It was Erin’s turn yesterday. You know how family can be. I’m sure he hasn’t eaten yet, so . . .”

She licked her lips again and little zings of chemistry buffeted between them. He enjoyed the intensity of it, the chemical soup of their connection.

“I’m making spaghetti. It’s not like making it for two instead of four is a problem. I mean . . .” Again the blush as her pale blue eyes met his, cruised down to his lips and then away as she took a deep breath. “If you’re hungry, Rennie and I wouldn’t mind the company. We’re new to Seattle, so it’s nice to get to know our neighbors.”

Rennie scampered up and nuzzled into her mother’s side. Elise’s arm automatically went around her daughter’s shoulder, and it pleased
Brody to see the easy affection there.

“Plus, we know you’re not no mad killer or nothing. The lady next door to you, the one with the dog who has all the sweaters, told us you look scary but are sweet as pie,” Rennie said.

Elise’s eyes closed again as she fought a laugh. It wasn’t like Rennie could help it; she was a blurter, much like her grandfather, Elise’s father, was. “A mad killer or anything, darling. If you’re going to insult our neighbor, let’s use proper grammar to do so.”

Brody’s ridiculously big brown eyes danced with amusement.

The way his bottom lip slid against the line of his goatee made her sort of tingly. Sort of? That was a joke. The man had torched a freaking thousand-acre wildfire within her. Perhaps if she hadn’t been masturbating to Brody fantasies so much, it wouldn’t have made
her all achy to just stand there near him. Pathetic.

“That’s good to hear. Mrs. Cardini, the lady with the little dog—his name is Stoney, by the way—is a good judge of character. I also think Adrian, my brother, would love a home-cooked meal. Neither one of us is much for cooking. If you’ll give me a few minutes,
I’ll go grab him and be back. That is, if you’re sure it’s not an imposition.”

“No imposition at all. Go on. I’ll get started. Oh, I guess I should ask if either of you is a vegetarian. I got sausage for the sauce, but I can make it without.”

“Nope, we’re both meat eaters. Be back in a few. And thanks again, Elise.”

She pretended not to watch his ass when he walked across the street, but hello, the way his waist tapered down to such a spectacular behind, the way it all contrasted with the width of his shoulders and the powerful muscles of his thighs. The whole package was pretty stunning in that bad-boy-with-a-Harley sort of way.

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Today’s theme is horror – so I thought I’d put up a scene from READING BETWEEN THE LINES when Haley finds her parents have been murdered…

READING BETWEEN THE LINES by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2008, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Samhain Publishing

Enraged, Conall burst through the sithein and sifted a spare two minutes after she’d gone. His father was with him. Riordan had already gone right after her, yelling at the guards to tell the others where they’d gone. He was going to kick her ass for breaking her promise to him.

She was risking her life for a stubbed toe or a…all thought froze when he landed in his in-laws’ living room and the scent of blood and dark magic assailed him.

Then he heard Haley, or what he thought was Haley. The sound sent a shiver up his spine. He ran toward it, skidding in a pool of blood where she knelt, his brother’s arms around her.

The scene made no sense to his eyes at first. In the background he heard Riordan speaking Gaelic to Haley, telling her to calm, to stop looking, to let him use his magic to help. She made small, feral sounds of grief that cut at him. He wanted to move to her but the energy in the room was thick and his eyes would not understand what he saw.

Blood everywhere. Signs of a struggle but it must have been fairly brief. What was that in the corner?

“In the name of all that is blessed, this is blasphemy. This…Riordan, get Haley out of here now!” Conall heard his father say it, felt his touch at his arm right as he figured out Ninane had done something to pull Haley’s parents apart so that nothing was recognizable. Dark spells etched the walls in blood. The taint of what had been done hung heavy. This was a violation of all their laws, of the laws of magic. Ninane had taken a step she could not move back from.

“I won’t leave!” Haley began to scream and it freed Conall from his horror as he rushed to her.

“We have to go, Haley. This is wrong. You are not safe here. Hear that? Aoife has sent people, my father has too. They have to clean it up. They will take care of your parents. I make my vow to you. Irish witch, you can’t help now. Please, please come away.” He kissed her softly, wanting to erase the devastation from her face.

“What is this?”

The crack of magic that came with the demand filled the room, biting his skin. Riordan paled as he and Conall shielded Haley between them. Conall turned to see Aoife but he’d never seen her this way.
Her hair, unbound and dark as night stood around her head, floating on her magic. She wore a breastplate, smeared in blood older than recorded human history. She was the warrior queen, manifested there.

“This cannot stand. She opened a gate and unleashed hell in this room.” Aoife’s voice had an eerie quality as her magic pushed the evil from the space. She was one of the oldest, one of the first, Conall wasn’t sure there were any around who could stand against her and he saw why.

“This is my fault. Don’t you see?” Haley’s voice was small, choked with emotion.

Aoife’s terrible rage ebbed away as the darkness fell from the space, leaving only sadness and desolation. She moved toward them and placed her lips to Haley’s forehead.

“Sleep and be dreamless, child. This is not your fault.”

Haley fought it, Conall saw how angry she was at having her will stolen but she couldn’t hold it off long and she slumped against him.

“I’ve sent people to Maeve’s. She’s alive but there was an attack on her house last night. She didn’t want to alarm anyone but they’d woven a spell, holding her there. They killed her animals, even her dog who’d been outside. She’d been trying to reach us or get out. Healers have taken her to her people where they can help her get her strength back. I’ve sent a demand to Dugan but haven’t heard as yet. We will avenge this, Conall. This kind of magic breaks our most basic laws and she’s taken human lives and left evidence of our existence.

“Take her home. She’ll be angry when she wakes up. Send for me and I’ll speak with her then. When Maeve feels up to it, she’ll come to Haley or, and you’re not going to like this part, she’ll go to her. Her people will want to avenge this. I advise you now to accept that and find a way to make it work.”

Conall remained silent. It was a battle he wasn’t going to think about right then. He nodded his thanks to Aoife, looked to his father and once around the room and he and Riordan sifted back to the sithein.

Haley woke up, confused and feeling like she’d been hit by an eighteen wheeler.

“Haley? Honey, how are you feeling?”

She turned her head to see Conall’s face and warmth filled her. Happiness. She loved that face, loved his voice.

But it fell away a moment later. When she saw his features, saw the concern there she began to remember.

Her hand moved to cover her mouth as bile rose. She scrambled out of bed and headed for the bathroom, Conall on her heels.

Afterward, he’d held her as he took a cool, wet washcloth to her face and neck, speaking soothingly in Gaelic to her.

The way Riordan had at her parents’ house.

Her knees buckled as it all came to her in vivid color. All reds and violent splashes. The remains of her mother and father. Not together, not right.

She shook her head as madness clawed at her. Her brain couldn’t accept it. It was wrong. What had done that to them? Strange sounds came from her. She wasn’t sure how she made them or how to stop.

“Haley, come back to me, Irish witch.”

Conall picked her up and settled them in bed, her body curled into his as he rocked her, smoothing a hand over her hair.

“You’ll do no good if you let yourself go. You have to hold on. For me. For you. For them. Fight it. I know it’s hard. I know. But don’t let her win.”

“Why, Conall? Why would she do that? What did she do to them?” The insanity within her eased back, but it still felt like broken glass shifting around in her belly.

“I don’t know. I wish I did. I wish there were answers, Haley, but there aren’t any. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“My grandmother!” She sat up on a gasp.

“She’s well. Aoife sent people to her the instant we learned about your parents. She’s with her tribe.” After a brief hesitation, he told her about the spell and the attempt on Maeve.

“Where are my parents? Or what’s left of them? I’ll need to deal with the police, won’t I? Their house. Their jobs and friends. What’s going to happen?” The enormity of what Ninane had done hit her. She’d exposed them all.

“Aoife and my father stayed behind. We’ve been exposed. They’ll have to fix it. Aoife used a great deal of magic to convince the authorities your parents died of carbon monoxide poisoning. You’ll need to go back and deal with them. For now, they’re under the belief you’re out of the country, out of contact but will get with them as soon as possible. Your grandmother has made arrangements to ship their bodies to Ireland.”

“I have to go to her. When will Dugan deliver Ninane to Aoife? Will you be the one to prosecute her?” If she stayed focused on tasks, the pain was just barely survivable.

He sighed. “Haley, Dugan won’t deliver Ninane. He’s refused. He says we have no proof it was her. He even blamed us saying we did it to put the blame on Ninane.”

“Well, so I imagine we’re at war now. I need to help. I’m sure Riordan will be someone in charge now. Your father too.”

He remained silent long enough for her to push away from him and see the look on his face.

“What is going on?”

“We’re not at war, Haley. Technically, Dugan is right. We don’t have the proof it was Ninane other than basic common sense. We’re working on the proof now. Aoife has magical scholars studying the marks on the walls. We’ll get the proof.”

“Are you telling me that fucking butcher who ripped my parents into pieces is going to get away with it? She’s free right now? I know it was her who attacked me. What about that? Or do I not matter at all?”

“You do matter, Haley. This will not go unavenged, I make my solemn vow to you.”

Haley turned to see Aoife standing in the doorway, looking very tired.

“So you said five months ago when Ninane tried to kill me. And yet, she was free enough to kill my parents and try to kill my grandmother.”

“I cannot just storm in and take her. Even after that attack. There are rules. I’m sorry. You don’t know how sorry I am but the rules keep us from war and they keep roughly a hundred thousand Fae from killing each other and humans too. I’ve demanded a trial. Dugan is dragging his feet. More now because he claims Ninane won’t get a fair trial with this incident being blamed on her.”

“Incident? My parents were in pieces! Their blood was everywhere. On the ceiling. What did she do to my mother to get her blood on the ceiling? I don’t care about your rules. I don’t care! You talk a good game and yet nothing has happened except I’m now without parents. Because of me. They’re dead because I came here.” Haley’s voice had reached screaming proportions, her head throbbed, her mouth tasted ashes, she felt nothing but rage.

“Sweetness, please calm down. You’re only going to make yourself sick.” Riordan came into the room, holding his hand out.

“But I’m alive to be sick. I’m alive here. Safe here. And my parents didn’t have that option. I chose you people over them and it got them killed.”

Aoife cocked her head. “I never had daughters. I have many nieces who I love very much. But you’re important to me, like a daughter. I feel your pain. If I could risk all the sitheins under my rule to avenge your loss I would. But my blood is in my vow to the treaty. It controls my magic, it controls the safety of every sithein and all her residents as well as the below where Dugan rules. The magic holds because it’s within us, within the ground, the mounds, the sky. If I break my vow without obeying the rules, it all crumbles and leaves everyone defenseless. We would not win even if I did break my vow. It would only speed our defeat and the Fae would have a king such as Dugan. If so, what happened to your parents would happen to millions of humans.”

Haley didn’t want to care about any of them. She didn’t want to wait, didn’t want to be patient.

Conall put his arms around her and she rested her head on his chest. “Haley, this is not your fault. Lady, how I wish I could make this better for you. I wish I could erase it and if it meant getting rid of our bond to save you from this, I would even though it would kill me to not have you. But that can’t happen. We can’t go back in time. You’re here with me and I love you with all that I am. Your parents loved you and they loved their life as humans. Your father gave that up knowingly and gifted his immortality to you. Don’t wish that away, it was his gift.”

This man touched her deeply. She’d associated her bond with him as a reason for their murder, she realized. It must have hurt him but he put her first instead of his own feelings. She didn’t wish away what she had with Conall. She couldn’t imagine how gray and flat her world would be without loving him. Even through the pain of her loss, she knew that.

“I love you, Conall. I may not deserve your love or this bond but I’d never wish it away. I’m too selfish. Promise me she won’t get away with this. Promise.”

He let out a long breath and hugged her tight. “I love you too, even when you’re stupid and say things like you don’t deserve our bond. And you have my promise. The promise of our tribe.”

When he said it, she believed it. Held on to it because it was all that held back the madness.

Conall paced as his wife stared at him through red-rimmed, determined eyes.

“Honey, I just think it’s better for you to stay here.”

He’d tried very hard to retain his calm as they argued. He knew she was upset and grief stricken. He wanted to respect that. He also knew she’d get combative if he raised his voice and he wasn’t mad anyway. Just desperate to make this all right for her, desperate to ease the pain from her face.

“I know you do. You’ve said it about three dozen times and while I admire your restraint and the bland way you’re keeping your voice lest I shatter into a million pieces and all, I’m going.”

“Haley, your grandmother is safe and she’ll come here, you know that. There’s no reason to go and expose yourself.”

“I’m not making an old woman come here after she’s had her last remaining child murdered. And they’re my people too, as was my father. I want to be with them right now. I dealt with the cops and my parents’ friends and employers. I have to plan a memorial there. People loved my parents, they should have a time when they can celebrate their lives. I’m even more determined to travel now. If I catch her outside her little zone of protection, I will kill her myself. Rules bedamned. I will kill her for what she’s done. I’m done hiding.”

“What does that mean?” He froze.

“It means I’m not going to hide in this hill anymore. I’m going out when I need to. I’m going to see my father’s people. I’m going to plan a memorial for my parents. I’m meeting with their attorney so I can arrange to have the house sold and the proceeds will go to set up a scholarship program at the Foundation in their names. I won’t let Ninane steal another second of my life.”

“Haley, you’re upset, I know that. But you saw what she did to them. She will do that to you if she gets the chance. I can’t…I can’t walk into a room and see you like that. Don’t do this to me. Please.” He got to his knees. “You want me to beg you? Because I will. Please don’t do this. I love you. I need you and I can’t survive without you.”

She moved slowly, kneeling on the carpet in front of him. “I don’t want you to beg. I know you’re freaked. I am too. This is a lot of tough talk on my part. But I can’t let her make me cower. I can’t. It’s like she’s here all the time, governing my every action. Our every action. Because she makes us afraid. Well, she did this to me when I was safe tucked up here. Don’t you see? There’s no difference to her. She’ll harm us no matter where we are.”

“It’s me she wants, Haley. I feel responsible. I am responsible. You’re mine to protect.”

“She does want you. But you’re mine. She can’t have you. And so you and I will work to take her down. The rules aren’t going to help here, you know that.”

What kind of crazy plan did his Irish witch have brewing in her head? “Haley, I don’t like that look on your face. You’re up to something.”

She fell back to the carpet and looked up at him. Lady, she was beautiful, even with dark circles beneath her eyes and the clear stamp of loss on her face.

“Help me forget, Conall. Put your hands on me and help me forget.”

He couldn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist. He always wanted her, but when he’d seen her kneeling, covered in blood, not knowing at first if it was hers, the need within him to touch her in the way only he could, had begun to build.

Be Sure to Visit the Other Snippeters!

Anya Bast
Eliza Gayle
Juliana Stone
Michelle Pillow
Lauren Dane
Moira Rogers
TJ Michaels
Jody Wallace
Ashley Ladd
Kelly Maher
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Shelley Munro
Mandy Roth
Mark Henry
Savannah Foley

Today’s theme is: Emotional Scene so I’ve decided to post a bit from RELENTLESS after Abbie and Roman have been found out and have had to break off their relationship.

FEDERATION CHRONICLES: RELENTLESS by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2009, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Group

Blearily, Abbie watched the vid screen in her living room two weeks later.

“Abbie, turn it off,” Nyna warned.

“I can’t! Nyna at least I can look at him.”

“Not like this. Come on. Why don’t I just poke you in the eye? We can just go straight to the horrible pain part and skip watching this.”

Unable to help herself, Abbie laughed at her sister. “Shut up. I’m trying to hear them fawn over Roman.”

She turned back to catch a tall, genetically perfect woman deliver a sugary, peppy, fannish bit about Roman:

House Lyons’s handsome leader, Roman Lyons has never commented one way or another about his involvement with barrister Abigail Haws but it’s clear he’s moved on.

Roman Lyons is being close mouthed about it except for one brief statement acknowledging that he was indeed looking for a wife. It’ll be nice to grow old with a woman to take care of him after all these years of raising his sons alone.

Perfect Polly there smiled dazzlingly into the screen and Abbie curled her lip as she shut the feed down.

“I’ve never seen a woman I wanted to shove into the meat grinder more,” Nyna said. “Well, until we see the hag Roman will marry. We will tear her to bits, of course.”

Abbie sighed and went to sit back next to her sister.

“I feel sorry for her. Whoever she is. Can you imagine just being traded off like that? Like you’re a sack of grain or a pretty bauble?”

“That’s well and good, Abbie but she’s getting in your way. Roman loves you. Marcus says he’s miserable and is terribly grouchy all day long.”

“Even worse then. Being married to a man who loves another woman! And good. He should be miserable. I’m miserable. I’m miserable because he made me love him and there he is all pretty and cultured and even if he doesn’t love this woman he will make her feel cherished and she’ll be the one next to him at night where I should be. And I can’t all because my father wasn’t Ranked.”

She stood up and began to pace.

“I ask you, Nyna, how fucking fair is that? I’ve been good. I’ve helped people. I’m working to make the ‘Verse a better place. I never railed against my fate after the attack. I deserve this man! And she’s going to have him. Why?”

“Finally. Gods, I’ve been wondering when you’d get mad. Watching you mope around for the last nearly two weeks has been ridiculous. Get mad. It is stupid. It’s fucked up.”

“And then, the AC was supposed to meet to tell me what was going on with our proposal but that got delayed because of the trials and this damnable mess. You’d think fucking me was as bad as a mass execution. I am a good person! I don’t need to have people shoving cameras in my face asking me how good Roman was in bed.”

“You did show remarkable restraint by not shoving that camera up his ass.” Nyna put her feet up on the low table in front of the couch.

“It’s not fair!” Abbie pounded her fists against her thighs. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone and it has to be the one man I can’t have? Why? What did I do? His precious Familial system! It’s hateful and backward and I hate it! I hate it. I hate his duty. I hate his honor. His resolve to do the right thing. Well, I’m the right thing. He says he loves me. I believe he loves me. But he walked away. Am I not allowed to have this one thing? Is he not allowed? Is that what this is about? He’s had everything with sparkles on top his whole life so now when there’s something he really wants he’s being punished somehow?”

She bent, resting on her haunches and screamed, low and guttural. And collapsed on the floor.

“I hate this time in my life.”

“You deserve to. Abbie, you’re such a good person. If anyone in this ‘Verse deserves happiness, it’s you.”

Abbie heaved a breath and sat up. “I’m over it now. Not really, I’m lying, but I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

Nyna snorted. “Fine. Why don’t you tell me what you said to Dai to make him keep his mouth shut. I know you had words. It got around.”

“It doesn’t signify. It needed saying. It’s over. So far he’s keeping out of my way so hopefully he’ll continue with that. Anyway, why are you here? The arguments in Jaron’s trial start tomorrow. Doesn’t Marcus need the company?”

“The mother is here. She came to visit, got some official leave from her priests. Can you believe in all this time since the arrest she hasn’t even been here? You couldn’t keep me away from my child like that. But why should she bother now, she tossed him away when he was a baby.” Nyna shrugged.

“I like you with Marcus. I can’t imagine why he would care that you were there. He doesn’t love Jaron’s mother. Hells, he barely knows her.”

“He wanted me there. I guess I felt weird.”

Abbie rolled her eyes and pulled her sister from the couch. “Get the fuck outta here. Go to him. Be with him. I saw him earlier, he’s a mess.” She shoved Nyna’s coat on, slapping the hat on.

Nyna hugged her. “You’re the best. My best friend. You do deserve to have Roman. I wish I could make you happy.”

Abbie shrugged. “That’s life. Now go.” She shoved her sister from the doorway and watched her rush to the lift, anxious to be with her man.

She heaved a sigh and shut the door behind her.

Be sure to visit the other snippeters today to see what they’ve posted!

Jaci Burton
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