Ever had a day where you just wanted to get up on the ledge and jump…or worse, push someone off? Well, our girl, Shinju, the heroine of Hatsept Heat Vampire Council of Ethics Bk 3, is having a meltdown. Why? Because she just found out that the very thing she saw almost kill her only brother is sleeping in her bed…but he didn’t bother to share his little secret before knocking boots.
Enjoy Shin’s meltdown and then be sure to visit the other Snippet Saturday authors via the links after the post. Come on, ya’ll, talk her DOWN!
Back in their room, Shinju had quickly dressed and was sitting in a chair pretending to read one of the romance novels she fancied. He knew she was faking it when her thoughts slammed into his head, practically screaming that some tragedy was coming, or that he really didn’t want her. The one that really got him was, Oh God, he’s married!
“Shin? You all right?” Kimora asked.
“Sure. What are you two up to now?”
Kenoe walked over and took her by the hand, leading her back to the bed and into his lap. “We’re not up to anything, but I thought it would be better to have your cousin here while I talk to you.”
“Really.”
Clearly she didn’t believe him. Actually, it wasn’t disbelief as much as it was fear of the unknown.
“Shinju, I want to tell you where I’m from. Who my people are.”
“Why in the world would you need Kimora here for that?”
“Because, love.” He took a deep breath and tightened his hold on her. “I’m…something you’ve never expected to exist. I’m not human.”
“What the hell did you pop while you went to get Kimora? You on drugs?”
“Shin, I’m a vampire.”
Immediately, her fear slammed into him like a two-ton steel demolition ball aimed at his chest. She believed him, and in the worst possible way.
“What?” she hissed through clenched teeth. Every muscle in her body tensed, ready for fight or flight.
So he said it again.
“Shin, baby, I said I’m a vampire.” This time he allowed his fangs to drop into place.
Shinju struggled in his arms and he immediately let her go. She flew to the other side of the room looking for something, anything with which to protect herself.
“Shin,” called Kimora. “It’s all right.”
“Are you fucking crazy? It’s not all right,” Shinju screamed, grabbing her cousin by the arm trying to haul her out the door. When Kimora didn’t move, Shinju dropped her arm and took off so fast, the other woman actually stumbled.
Kimora cut him a steel-sharp glance so hard blood should have spurted from his forehead.
She snarled, “You idiot! What the hell were you thinking showing her your teeth like that?” Taking off after Shinju, she called to her fleeing cousin’s back. “Shin, we’re on a damned plane. Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“Away. Far. Somewhere, anywhere!”
“Shinju!” Kenoe ran to the door, yelling down the hall after her. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re my bondmate, damn it.”
“Noooo!” she screamed, her voice laced with enough fury and dread to leave a trail of terror behind her as she fled.
“Kimora, we’ve got to get out of here.”
“Shinju, will you relax already. So he’s a vampire, what’s the big deal?”
That worked about as well as a combination slap in the face followed by a bucket of iced water. Why wasn’t Kimora freaking out too? There was only one good explanation—the woman was demented.
“Are you out of your damned mind? I don’t care if we have to find a couple of parachutes and jump into the middle of the fucking Pacific, we’re getting off this plane.”
Just as her fingers wrapped around the knob to the cockpit door, Kimora caught up to her and pulled her into a fierce hug.
“It’s okay, Shin. Honest. Calm down, it’s all right.”
Shinju took a deep breath, or as deep as she could between wracking sobs. Kenoe’s dread of her doing something drastic slammed through her. No desire to bleed her dry, nor rip her neck to shreds. There was only care, concern. Love? The man, correction, vam-fucking-pire, was upset because she was afraid of him? Shinju was so stunned that Kenoe was more concerned for her well-being and absolute state of panic than he was about anything else, she didn’t even jump when his hand landed gently on her shoulder and slowly turned her to face him.
While I love chocolate, love and fluffy bunnies, humor makes the world go round. I truly believe that. When I’m having a crappy day, a little humor lifts me right on up. When I want to cry, laughter makes me, well, laugh ;D
This week’s theme is humor and while I try not to have a laugh at my friend’s expense, all bets are off in books. In this scene from Egyptian Voyage, our main characters each have a spirit guide. The Chrysalyn Geyer is the heroine, and her guide happens to be a bad-assed African lion named Adonei. Unfortunately, Mr. Adonei has no idea what to do when he meets is match in the hero’s spirit guide, Mahpiya, a lioness. But not only are the hero and heroine meant to be, but the spirit guides are mates as well.
Mahpiya decides to give the stiff-necked Adonei a bit of sass as she describes the various ways that human females describe man parts! All the while, Chrys is sitting at dinner trying not to laugh out loud as the two guides duke it out in her head.
Enjoy this excerpt from Egyptian Voyage and then check out the fabulous Snippet Saturday authors through the links at the bottom of the post. Have a fabulous weekend!
Chrys smiled and said, “When I left, Rahn was getting ready. He sends his apologies and should be walking in the door any minute now. So, I think I’ll order his drink for him. Waiter?” Chrys called, and another smartly dressed young man headed her way. “I’d like a glass of your best chilled rice wine for my, er, friend. And I’ll have one of those green things, please.”
“Friend, eh?” Mrs. Mastersen gawked excitedly. “How fabulous for you, my dear. You’ve dated a while, have you?”
“We’ve worked together for more than six years and know each other well.” The rest of it was none of anyone’s business. Out of nowhere, the image of Rahn in the shower burst into her thoughts.
*I am sure my charge would blush if he knew what you were thinking just now. Can you think of nothing but his cock?” Mahpiya whispered to Chrys, her tongue lolling to the side.
‘Oh, hush up, you. You’re not supposed to tell all my secrets, and I can tell from the way the bond feels that Adonei is listening in.’
*Of course I am listening in. It is my job, is it not?* Adonei sniffed indignantly, then turned to Mah, fussing. *And do you have to speak so boldly regarding your charge’s private parts?*
Chrys almost laughed out loud. Didn’t he know by now not to set himself up like that? Before she could form a single smart-assed response, Mah was all over him.
*My dear Adonei, I believe you are in need of schooling, and given your old age,* Mah paused for dramatic effect, *you know I certainly do not have to use the word cock. I have been a spirit guide for eons. There are many other ways to express myself, mate.*
Chrys clamped her lips together, picked up her water and sipped, trying to hide the smile at the corner of her lips. Oh, boy, here it comes.
*I could have called it by some of the other words I have heard over the years, like bacon bazooka…*
*Bacon what?* Adonei queried, his brow pulled down in a confused frown.
*Do you not like that word?‘Tis much better than cock, don’t you think? No? Perhaps pork sword?*
*What is it with you and pig meat?* Adonei groaned, clearly wishing he hadn’t said anything.
*Fine. No more pork. So what about tally whacker? Tickle-gizzard? Wanker? Tube steak?*
Chrys’ own eyebrows flew up at that last one. Tube steak? Eww. Adonei swiped a huge paw at Mah, but the lioness dodged it with a laugh and simply kept right on.
*Maypole? Meat whistle?Milk bone? Mr. Happy?*
Adonei rolled his eyes and grumbled something about the Great Spirit’s sense of humor and boneheaded mates.
Today’s theme is activities, whether dancing, singing or mountain climbing. I chose an excerpt of the hero and heroine of Hatsept Heat, Vampire Council of Ethics Bk 3, on their way to go dancing at one of the hottest clubs in the Roppongi district in Tokyo. Here, out heroine steps off the train and we get a taste of the hero’s reaction to this sizzling hot mama!
Enjoy, then visit all of the other fabulous Snippet Saturday authors via the links at the bottom of this post.
Kenoe didn’t like the idea of meeting at the train station, but the second his, yes his, woman stepped into view, he was glad they were nowhere near her house or his apartment. She looked so edible even a eunuch would be tempted to snatch her up, settle her on his face and feast to his heart’s content. Kenoe wanted to run his hands over her smooth-looking skin, then suck her essence off his fingers.
Curvy little hips were sheathed in a delicious cream leather miniskirt. A short-cut jacket in a complementing shade of light purple buttoned at the bottom and hugged her waist. The rest of the coat lay open to reveal the sexiest little sheer white top Kenoe had laid eyes on in all his days. Not that he’d never seen head-rush-inducing clothes on beautiful women before, but Shinju made every experience he’d ever had pale until it was nothing but a vague recollection.
The psychic shields he always kept in place fell like boulders, opening to her. Unadulterated fierce attraction hummed along their fragile bond. And now that he was pretty sure of what she was to him, mate and bondmate, the next time they were alone would certainly turn out differently. He wouldn’t freeze up at the mention of biting, that was for sure. There was now a new goal—to gently touch, tease and taste until she wanted him so badly she fairly crackled with it…just like he did for her right now.
With a femininely calculated tilt of her head, she lowered her eyes and watched his approach through her lashes while easing her coat down her arms and off. Making a smooth little twirl, she showed off her outfit. Teasing peeks of cinnamon skin were visible under what turned out to be a sheer tank top with a little cropped shirt under it to cover her breasts. The skin of her neck and arms shimmered slightly. He wondered what she’d smoothed over it to make it glisten like that.
Artfully applied, the eyeshadow above her slanted almond-shaped eyes brought to mind stormy seas. And her full lips were lined with a berry gloss he wanted to lick and nibble until there was nothing left but her own unique taste. A flavor he hadn’t nearly gotten his fill of the last time they were together.
Kenoe walked right up to the woman and towered over her smaller frame. Shinju refused to take a single step back. Instead, she looked up at him with those lovely chocolate brown eyes as they stood practically toe-to-toe and the tips of his boots were flush against the tips of her…holy shit. Those shoes!
My God, I’ll never make it to the end of the night.
The woman wore a pair of side-zip, high-heeled ankle boots that sent his balls scrambling for his throat. So sexy and perfectly fit, they hugged her little ankles, bringing attention to a pair of legs that would stop traffic anywhere.
When they’d embraced on her couch with her lovely ass nestled against his groin, Kenoe had enjoyed skimming his hands over her body, feeling the play of muscle underneath her jeans, but he hadn’t gotten a good look. Tonight that was no longer an issue. He got an eyeful, all right, would have to be blind not to. In fact, several other men were getting a good fucking look too. And Kenoe pierced each and every one of them with a stare as cold as a Montana winter, knowing the bluish whites were beginning to take on an eerie silvery hue.
The popular movie myths about vampires with glowing red eyes were total hooey, but, like many of his genetic human cousins, Kenoe’s eyes did in fact change color with his mood. And right now he teetered between flat-out lust and unreasonable fury.
His thoughts turned to gutting one of the staring men—a stocky fellow with one too many piercings and such a dumb-as-a-stump expression Kenoe almost felt sorry for the fellow. But another lecher wore a leer so telling it made Kenoe’s gums twitch hotly with revulsion.
A gentle touch eased down the side of his face, bringing him out of unpleasant musing. A single finger smoothed an errant loc back behind his ear.
“Down, Naoru. Besides, there are just as many women looking at you as there are men looking at me, and I’m not growling and staring daggers.”
He shot a thought her way.
“When are you going to tell me what Naoru means?”
She hesitated a second, as if deciding whether to trip out that he so easily communicated with her this way. Maybe she hadn’t realized.
Then a saucy smile spread across those glossy lips as the woman winked, backed up a step and responded, “I think you scuffed my boots.”
I had a fabulous time talking with author, Linda Mooney, on Others World of Romance. And yes, I did talk about the RT Samhain author party and how I DID NOT *grin* cause security to come and kick us out. I even named names *oooooh, no she didn’t!* Yep, I sure did ;D
Today’s Snippet is a bit from Caramel Kisses just because I feel kind of feel carefree and silly this afternoon. And Sydni is deviating a bit from being her totally serious executive self to being silly with her little sister. Enjoy! Then visit the other Snippet authors via the links at the bottom of the page.
After a hard day at the office bled into an even harder evening at home, Sydni switched off her laptop and wrinkled her nose in confusion. The numbers for the new shipping contract she’d landed still didn’t line up. Something was off but she was no closer to nailing it down right now than she’d been when she’d discovered the issue a couple of days ago.
Perched in the middle of a sea of cushions and covers all over her big comfy bed, the sexily dim lighting of the fireplace had her mind drifting elsewhere…mainly to a topic she’d been thinking too much of lately—sex. And lots of it.
It had been a whole week since her little run-in with the law yet any thought of that event instantly conjured the ruggedly handsome Mr. Drew Caruth. Sydni just couldn’t stop thinking about him. In fact her fantasies of late featured sun laden black sand beaches, hunky real-life lawyers and all kinds of naughty possibilities that sent her temperature soaring.
She jumped when the phone rang.
“Hello?” she grumped, hopping out of her personal haven of silken sheets and ran down to the kitchen.
“Is this Ms. Sydni Cannes?”
“Yes, who is this?”
“This is Earl Matheson from KWQQ, your radio station for smooth jazz.”
“Uh, okay. How can I help you, Earl?”
Tilting the handset so she could hold it on her shoulder and still snatch the Häagen-Dazs Butter Pecan ice cream out of the freezer. Grabbing a spoon, she headed back upstairs. Treating herself for landing the big Sony account was overdue. She deserved this damn ice cream, and no one was going to interrupt her long overdue indulgence. Not to mention Earl was spoiling a perfectly good evening of masturbating in between TV shows.
“It’s not what you can do for me, but what we want to do for you.”
“Okay, Earl, I’m not trying to be rude but I’m in the middle of something.” Yeah, in the middle of creaming your fingers. “You’ve got thirty seconds to get to the point then I’m going to have to go. Deal?”
“Deal. Let’s cut to it. Your sister, Charli, has entered you in our Set ‘Em Up, Knock ‘Em Down contest.”
“I’m sorry, Earl. I don’t bowl.”
The man laughed, really laughed. Hard. Like she was the biggest idiot in all of creation.
“Okay, Earl, you’re down to about ten seconds here, bud.”
“Your sister has basically set you up on a blind date. You are to meet your mystery man at a place of your choosing tomorrow morning at exactly eleven o’clock. And since your sister knows the person it’s perfectly safe.”
“Two seconds.”
“No problem, Sydni. Let us take down your information on where you want to meet this dream date and we’ll take care of the rest. You can even choose what he has to wear so you’ll recognize him. You two hit it off, we’ll send you to a five-star dining establishment and tell your story on the air. If not, we’ll pay you for your time.”
“And this was my sister’s idea?”
“Yep. Miss Charli Cannes wrote to us when she heard about the contest and her letter as to why you should get the dream date was picked unanimously by our staff. Would you like to hear the letter? We can even get her on the phone if you like.”
“No. I believe you.” Damn woman. Just wait, I’m gonna strangle her, then resurrect her just so I can kill her again.
“What was that, Ms. Cannes?”
“Uh. Nothing.”
“So will you do it?”
“Yes. Okay. What do you need?”
Fine. Anything to get the man off the phone. She’d deal with Charli later. Meddling girl.
After a few minutes spouting off the most outrageous clothing she could think of for her so-called dream date to wear, Sydni hung up the phone and scooted down in the covers.
The ice cream carton settled onto the nightstand with a soft thunk. The spoon clattered against the wood just before Sydni’s eyes slid closed. Her tongue was cool against her lips as it slid from one side of her mouth to the other while her mind conjured the delicious image of…Drew? Again? What the hell?
Why was she thinking about that Drew guy so much? She shouldn’t be filling her mind with pictures of the one man every single female in their whole company wished would push them up against the nearest solid object and fuck them into oblivion. God, the man couldn’t be more than thirty years old. But damn he was a fine specimen of a man. Hell, a simple look her way made her knees knock together. But Drew wasn’t interested in her. Why would he be when there were plenty of other women his age that made it more than clear they were interested. The man could get any piece of pussy he wanted. And learning he was a good friend of Charli’s just added to the list of why he was off limits. Too young. Too damn fine. Sigh. Just the thought of his hands on her made her go red in the face. No, she shouldn’t…but then again, who’d know?
The second the thought formed in her head, a pair of gray eyes appeared behind her lids. Drew. A sexy smile lit up his face just for her. And in her fantasy, that face moved closer and closer to her own until he was close enough to kiss, but not quite. Instead, he dipped his head and nudged her chin up so he could inhale the fragrance of her skin. With nothing touching her but the tip of his nose, Drew explored the soft underside of her jaw before nuzzling his way toward the hollow behind her left earlobe.
Talented fingers touched her intimately, gently twisting a nipple before drawing it into his mouth, pulling deeply. Sucking hard, then laving the tip, round and round.
Breathing deeply, Sydni imagined Drew’s scent filling her nostrils. His tongue slid down the side of her neck and left a warm, wet path down to her collar bone. Her hips swiveled in a slow, deliberate circle as one hand closed around a swelling breast and the other slid between dewy labia. She wasn’t even surprised at how wet she was—it was becoming the norm with thoughts of Mr. Caruth, damn it.
And now her clit needed some attention. Reaching into her nightstand drawer, her favorite toy fell comfortably into her hand.
