Genre Dilemma

Dear Reader

I need your help. You see, I've written something that I unable to classify into a specific genre. Is it Romance? Erotica? Maybe you can help me by read this short excerpt and posting your opinion. This is a story I've had on the back burner for quite some time. It is a kind of historical fantasy of sorts. The main character (Lucia) is swept into an underwater cave and knocked unconscious while diving off the coast of Crete. When she awakens, she discovers that she is 'somewhere else.' She is in a land filled with strange characters. One of these characters in particular (Evenor) helps her recover from her injuries (with a troop of servants) and insists she is a future queen preordained by some vision he's had.

Anyway, read the excerpt and tell me your thoughts. Should this be Young Adult? Or, could some of these words be changed to a more "purple" hue and still get the point across?

Smells of warm aromatic oils filled my senses. Jasmine, lilac, even menthol tickled my brain as I lay in a dark semi-conscious world. Soft hands gently caressed my body, gliding smoothly along all contours on a thin liquid ribbon of warmth. Not just a single pair of hands but several, all in different places and ever so gentle on my bruised and sensitive skin. One pair of hands glided over my face and rubbed little circles around my temples. Other sets of hands caressed and kneaded each arm and leg moving upwards and meeting along my torso. My body lay flat on a soft surface and the hands continued moving, caressing, and circling around my breasts in decreasing concentric circles until reaching the outer regions of my areoles and finally converging on my stiffening nipples.

I jerked into complete consciousness at the sensation and looked wildly up at the blurry figures surrounding me. There were five women standing topless around me, all dark-skinned and dark-haired. Ornate jewelry around their necks and in their hair flashed and twinkled as it reflective the light of endless candles within the tented room. They were rubbing my body with some kind of oils and taking liberties I wasn’t sure I welcomed. I tried to rise but found my pain forbid it and I fell flat again. I was on some kind of bed about waist high to the women and it was covered with a thick blanket of leather or animal skins. I squirmed about in a pool of the warm oil trying to bring myself to an upright position again but the women gently guided me back down. Two of the women parted and a man appeared between them. I recognized the man. He had been the one on the horse last thing I remembered seeing. He looked down at me with jet black eyes and matching shoulder-length hair that formed a curtain around the outline of his thin chiseled face. He said something to me but I could not understand the language. He spoke with a dialect I had never heard before. He frowned and looked around at the women surrounding me, saying something quietly to them. They backed away and he looked back down and stared directly into my eyes.

“I am Evenor. You were injured but are now safe. Trust my servants. Rest and they will heal you.”

I was so fixed on his dark piercing eyes that I did not even see his lips move when he spoke. In fact, I wasn’t sure that his lips did move. He quickly disappeared and was replaced by the five women who continued their massaging. The woman standing over my head presented a large gold goblet and raised it to her mouth making drinking gestures. Without waiting for a reply, she gently lifted my head and tipped the metal cup to my mouth. I drank the liquid. It had the sweet tang of red wine and it was cold as it glided smooth across my lips and down my throat. I emptied the goblet and relaxed into the slick warm surface. The women surrounding me moved in and continued massaging my body as the wine warmed in my stomach. I could feel my body relaxing as I responded to the drink. It seemed to relax my body more than normal and I felt like I was falling slowly. I was barely able to move my arms and legs but still felt every hand gliding along my skin.

Warm soft hands again glided over my oiled body with slick precision. Caring hands caressed the curve of my neck up to the lobes of my ears. Sensuous hands traced the curve of my breasts and gently pinched at my nipples making them rise and harden in response and sending small pulses of pleasure through me. Wonderful brave hands glided up my legs and ever-so-gently along my inner thighs. Gentle waves of pleasure accompanied every touch, and my mind drifted in warmth. I no longer concerned myself with the proprieties of catholic hetero-sexuality and gave in to the pleasure, trying to hold onto lucid thought as warmth and pleasant delirium invaded my soul. I thought about what had happened in the water and where I might be now. I wondered about the bronze-skinned man who rescued me. I opened my eyes only briefly as the women wrapped my body in some large leaves that had a slightly pungent smell and placed small white and blue crystals on my body over the leaves. I felt tingling energy and warmth in my chest from the crystals through the leaves. Through the veil of my closed eyelids I painted a palette of soft pinks and purples as sleep overtook me.

What are your thoughts?

Delightful Words

 

A short poem from a good friend of mine, I thought would be nice to share:

 

It starts with a look, a word, a kiss
The slightest brush of skin.
Desire awakens and surfaces
Grows from deep within

Stirring of mood and quickening of pulse
She quietly whispers my name.
Deep and guttural needs arise
I struggle now to tame.

As we plan our brave escape
to this secret; most sacred place
I find my heart within her now
I live within her space.

Something that she gives me
No one other can
Arousal at her every touch
My heart within her hand.

 

 

All hope for your enjoyment.



Tonight



On Valentine's day she thinks  to herself as she runs the washcloth across the evening dishes. The late sun streams into the window at a low angle, stinging her sore and tired eyes. She thinks of what she might have said, what she might have written if she'd just taken the time to think things through before slamming the door in his face.

If we could just start over tonight

Without the arguments, without the fights.

 

I'd be yours and you, mine

Our love stretching beyond the end of time.

 

I know that your out there now, somewhere all alone

Is there some way you'd just sense my thoughts and come home?

 

Oh how I long to feel you again, with me, on me and in me.

I remember we were good together, weren't we?

 

Please come back to me and spend the night

If you give me the chance, I'll make things right.

 

If we could just start over tonight

Without the arguments, without the fights.

 

The sound of the door latch startled her and she turned. He was there, on his knees, flowers in his hand and tears in his eyes. He stood and they embraced. Her body became light, as if she was suddenly free of a great weight. In that embrace, she knew she was forgiven, and she was loved unconditionally.

Werewolf Love

I would never have thought when I began my first novel that I would be writing about werewolves. I was attempting to write a character study (more or less) dealing with the dichotomous problem faced by a woman wanting a normal relationship but unable to sustain one.

Of course, what I came up with was a demon succubus. Hey, why not? Using a character such as this allowed me to explore the problems many face of wanting a lasting relationship, but somehow sabotaging themselves.

But, given the nature I invented for my succubus, how would she ever find a lasting relationship if she kills all her lovers? Who could possibly survive her love? That's when werewolves made their entrance into the story. I would just have my main character fall in love with a werewolf. In my mind anyway, a werewolf can survive a succubus. Oddly enough, I later found the very concept I dreamed up, was used in a television show called Lost Girl.

Of course, my werewolves were different. In fact, my werewolves were created eons ago by demons such as Azra and Tarmin. More about that later. The werewolves in my world are just like other humans, living among the rest of the population. They do tend to keep to themselves, and they have a definite hierarchy within their group. My werewolves also (for the most part) mate for life. Now there may be a rogue out there having relationships with more than one partner, but that will be another story. Also, my werewolves communicate just like married humans, oftentimes arguing or engaging in banter. Here's an example of this using Alexis and Joseph from the novel Lovestruck Succubus.

Joe Johnson sat in a darkened car next to his wife and mate, Lexi. The car was a rental and they had been sitting inside of it for nearly four hours watching Raif Lungren's apartment building. The air outside had cooled some but there was no breeze and now the day's heat radiated off the buildings and the concrete. Hot moist air filled the car making their skin stick uncomfortably to the seats. The windows were cracked open but they could not run the air conditioner for fear of attracting attention, even on the deserted street in the dead of night. The inside of the car stank of coffee, french-fries, and body odor.

They had watched Raif walk home from work. They had watched a woman follow behind him. They had watched her hide beside a tree for more than two hours. Now, they watched as she moved to the apartment entrance door, and they would wait until morning if they had to, just to see if the woman stayed in his apartment for the night. They had been watching Raif for more than two weeks. All of his activities had been noted and relayed back to their pack leader and alpha in Northern Georgia. But the woman was new, and why she was hiding outside his apartment building they had no idea, although the arrival of this new woman did bring some excitement to their normally dull observations. Lexi wrote notes on a small notepad. She listed the general characteristics of the woman approaching the apartment building, approximate height, hair color and length, and clothing worn. She noted the time, 1:43 AM, and wrote it down.

"Did you see that?" Joe poked at Alexis, and then pointed at the apartment entrance.

"See what? She just went into the apartment building." Alexis gave him a stern look through the darkness, peeved about his habit of poking her when he wanted her attention.

"No, Lexi, I didn't see her open the door." Joe always called her Lexi, and she called him Joe, unless they were mad at each other, and then it was Alexis and Joseph.

"What do you mean? I'm sure she opened the door and then went inside, you just missed it."

"I don't know. It looked to me like she went through the door."

"Maybe you need more coffee." Lexi held the thermos up for him. "I think all this stakeout stuff just makes you loopy."

Joe resigned the argument, thinking she was right and he was probably just seeing things that were not there. He lifted his Styrofoam cup out to her and smiled in acceptance of her terms. Lexi filled his cup, smiled back at him and settled back in her seat. They fell into silence, Joe slowly slurping coffee, Lexi huffing and shifting abruptly in her seat in annoyance at his loud, sloppy drinking.

They had sat in the car another forty minutes when the apartment building door flew open and a kind of half-human half-wolf creature came through at a full run.

This scene from Lexi's Run served as part of the introduction of Joseph and Alexis (Joe and Lexi) in the first Novel. It is told from Joe's point of view. It may seem strange to some readers that the second novel went backwards, but I thought this was a great way to highlight the relationship of Joe and Lexi. I thought it would show how they became so familiar with each other. They weren't always so informal. In fact, this next scene shows how they almost never got together.

Joseph walked across the old crumbling asphalt parking lot, and over patches of loose gravel in front of the abandoned auto parts store toward the bar. As he crossed the alley, he heard a voice and, looking into the darkness, he saw a man and a woman in the shadows by a garbage dumpster. The man said something, and the woman jerked her hand away from him. Joseph's body reacted before his mind even realized the two were not standing in the dark for romance. The woman was backing up, and the man was advancing toward her.

"You alright Ma'am," he heard himself say as he closed the distance between him and the assailant grabbing at the woman.

He made it to the man in five easy steps. The man was preoccupied with the woman, allowing Joseph the opportunity to wrap his arm around the man's neck and drag him away from the woman, making sure to jerk his knee into the man's back at every step backwards. Joseph kept dragging the man backwards until he was brought off balance and went to the ground. He rolled the man over as forcefully as he could and then knelt down with his knee in the man's back, yanking the man’s arms around his back to meet his knee. Joe grabbed his zip straps out from the left side of his waistband, and tightened them around the man's wrists before bringing his attention back to the woman.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Joe looked up at the woman, standing among the dark shadows of the alley.

He could only make out her general shape in the dark, but he was certain he saw her eyes, just for a brief moment, nearly glowing, something primal reflecting in them through the darkness. His eyes adjusted to the darkness of the alley, and the two standing in front of him came into better view. He recognized the man as Lefty, the local sleaze ball, and the very skip Jake contracted him to bring in. His luck was certainly changing from earlier in the day. The thug wannabee down and secure, Joe turned his attention back to the woman again.

"It's alright, I got him under control," He said to the woman, as he jerked Lefty up by his cuffed wrists.

Standing closer to the woman, he got a better look at her. She was looking not too pleased that he stopped Lefty from doing to her ... whatever it was he was thinking of doing. In fact, the smug look on her face made her seem completely ungrateful that he just saved her life, or, at the very least, her honor. Her pale skin reflected the dim light from the crescent moon overhead, and contrasted sharply with her dark hair. Joseph didn't usually think much of women one way or the other since his mother died, but even in the dark, he saw something special in her, a kind of confidence, a deep, animalistic skill for survival. He was beginning to wonder if he hadn't shown up, if she would've taken care of Lefty herself. Then she spoke, and removed any doubt about her confidence.

"I'm alright," the woman said. "I didn't need any help." She crossed her arms, and moved into a stance that, even in the darkness, came off as arrogant.

"Yeah, I could tell, you had everything under control," he said, with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

She glared at him; a cold hurt showing in her eyes, even through the dark, and he regretted the words as soon as he said them. Truth was, the woman looked like she could take care of herself. She was taller than most women, with a solid build. She was more voluptuous and toned than stick-thin, and her eyes showed strength. Even in the dark alley, her eyes conveyed volumes. Joseph liked beautiful eyes, and he liked a strong woman. He decided to take on a different approach in talking to her.

"I didn't get your name."

"I didn't give it." She turned, and began to walk away. "Like I told you already, I had everything under control until you showed up."

"Sorry if I interrupted your ass-kicking, but I've been looking for this guy." Joseph left out the fact that he had just started looking for him.

"Well, you got him," she said, not even looking back as she walked toward the street. "Can I get back to work, now?"

"You work here?"

"No, asshole, I don't work here.” She turned and looked back at him, planting her feet at shoulder-width. “Not on the street. I'm a waitress at the Pink Pony." She huffed and turned again, walking toward the alley entrance.

"Oh, I didn't mean ...” But it was too late. She'd already rounded the corner and disappeared.

"Wait," Joseph yelled after her as he moved as quickly as he could toward the street, pushing Lefty in front of him.

He reached the crumbling parking lot just as the woman stepped into the building, the door closing behind her.

"My name's Joseph," he yelled as the door closed.

"Damn you, Lefty," Joseph yelled in his ear as he jerked him toward his truck and pushed him along, making him stumble across loose gravel. "You just cost me a date."

"More like, I just put the two of you together," Lefty countered. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Nobody really, Lefty.” Joseph told him as he opened the passenger door of his truck and threw lefty inside. “I'm just the guy that gets paid for collecting trash like you and bringing them to jail."

It seems these were just two normal people meeting for the first time but soon, it is revealed that Lexi, and her relationship with Joseph is nothing close to normal. I write all this because I am attempting to warn my readers and possible future readers that the direction of this ongoing story is going to change even more with the third novel. What started as a story about a lonely demon succubus is becoming a story of the relationship between demons of old and the shape-shifting werewolves they created in an attempt to rid the Earth of humans.

My werewolves are not demons but they are definitely paranormal. They have special healing abilities, advanced hearing and smell but they are not completely immortal. They do grow old, and eventually die, as shown in Lexi's Run. Nonetheless, they do have the ability to shift to any form between human and wolf.

When it comes to love, there is only one kind for my werewolves—everlasting. With few exceptions, they stay with their mate (chosen or selected) for life. I hope this article provides some insight into my personal world of demons and werewolves. I hope that you would make it your world as well. And, I hope you stay with me because, in the next installment of this ongoing saga, things are going to get a little bumpy.

A Little Taste



Photo from rogerblazic.com

 Holly made the connection. Her mind was transported to the room next door. There was a body lying on a bed and she felt her soul, open and ready for communication. Her mind was let into the person easily but maintaining the connection would take all of her concentration. She opened her eyes and saw Katrina standing at the edge of the bed. She nearly lost her concentration at the sight of Katrina's beautifully luscious body, closing her eyes again to flush the sight from her mind. Katrina was a hard vision to push away. Her dark skin and curvy form was like a neon sign flashing take me, I'm yours. Nonetheless, Holly tried to imagine her as the subject while waving her hand at the camera for Doctor Mueller to kill the lights.

She leaned forward, her eyes still closed, until she sensed Katrina's abdomen, inches from her face. She was close enough to smell the essence of Katrina's perfume. She breathed in Katrina's aura, and it brought a fire to her senses. Reaching forward, she drew her arms around Katrina and ran her hands slowly up her back as she stood.

The room lights dimmed and the darkness brought a great sense of Katrina's body into her soul. Embracing Katrina, she focused on the subject in the next room, trying to deepen the connection with her and get a sense of her body. She needed to feel the subject's body in her mind. Finally, Katrina became the subject to her, and she knew, from this point forward, she would hold that connection using Katrina as the surrogate.

Holly allowed her hands to explore Katrina's back and neck until her fingers became entangled in her hair. She pulled the scrunchy from her head and Katrina's hair fell to her shoulders. Holly ran her hands over Katrina's shoulders and down her arms before bending to let her hands fall down her legs to her knees. As she bent down her cheek brushed across one of Katrina's extended and rigid nipples. It was warm across her cheek, seemingly producing a heat from some unknown source. She circled Katrina's knees twice before inching her fingers back up her legs along her inner thighs, barely skirting the outer edges of her pubic hair and upwards along her torso. Katrina sucked in her breath as Holly circled her breasts until her fingers skipped across her nipples.

Holly concentrated on maintaining her connection with the unknown subject in the next room. She projected the feel of Katrina's smooth skin through the air along a fragile, invisible string to her subject. She could not be sure the actual feeling was making it into the next room but was sure her connection remained intact. The thought of actually being able to influence this subject on such a personal level spurned her on. emboldened by her initial success, she leaned in and found Katrina's lips.

Just thought I would post a little taste of an upcoming story.

Who Says you Can't Give it Away

I like to announce that from now on and forever, I am offering my erotic fantasy The Cusp of Libra free. that's right-FREE.

Just head on over to Smashwords and download your copy. It would be great if you might consider leaving a review when you get a chance.

This work should be free at Barnes & Noble soon, and I would ask that you might also consider reporting the free price to Amazon so it can be free there as well.

Here's the link for Smashwords: The Cusp of Libra at Smashwords.

And, here's a link for the book at All Romance ebooks: The Cusp of Libra at ARe.

Here's a sample of what is in the story:


Enjoy!

She stripped her clothes off, sending a little thrill through her body when she accidently brushed her hand across her breast, the smooth skin on the back of her fingers plucking her rigid nipple. She was so sensitive, and it surprised her that she had such a reaction to Aiden and Liam. She could not remember ever having such a reaction to a man, never mind two men at the same time. But, something about the brothers affected her on a level beyond her conscious control. For the first time in her life, she was having vivid fantasies about these men when she was wide-awake.

Must be this mountain air, she thought, as she eased herself into the hot water.

The feel of the hot water enveloping her body, and the smell of the infused baths salts carried her mind again to thoughts of Aiden and Liam. This kind of thing had never happened to her before, and she wondered what it was that she found so attractive in both these men. Nonetheless, she liked the feeling, and welcomed the fantasy, as her hand floated across her breast, gliding smoothly over her nipple.

Her muscles relaxed as the hot water seeped through her skin into every curve and fold of her body. She closed her eyes and let the visions in her mind flood her thoughts. In her mind, Shayla saw Aiden and Liam, together somewhere outside. They were both completely naked and chopping wood. It must have been summertime, as their bodies glistened with sweat. The light played off their bodies, creating reflective light and dark shadows, in all the right places of their bodies. She felt her body responding to the movie playing in her mind—a warming in her breasts, and along her torso, all the way down into the deep folds at the apex of her inner thighs. Her hands found their way to her breasts, pushing across them until they reached the crest along the slightly raised surface of her areolas. The warmth on her skin turned to a kind of sexual fire, burning a path of electricity and need behind her hand's movements. She pinched the nipples on both her breasts, and the touch felt foreign, as if the sensation came not from her own tiny hands, but from Aiden's big strong hands. Her mind went into overdrive, fast-forwarding through the scenario in a flash of feeling and pleasure.

Her fantasy suddenly changed, and Liam was kissing her—opened-mouthed and passionate. Aiden was now circling her breasts with his big hands, running his thumbs across her alert nipples, tightening the skin around them more with every pass. Shayla felt somehow suspended with Aiden and Liam surrounding her. Maybe they were suspended as well, floating with her in some kind of symbiotic cocoon, devoid of weight or gravity. Fingers again pinched at her nipples, and the sensation shot to her core like a bullet. She felt the muscles loosen and then tighten inside her, seeking touch and relief. Her hand moved, as if on its own volition, down between her legs until she found the heat of her inner folds with her fingers, somehow hotter than the surrounding water. In her mind, her hand was Liam's hand, his fingers gliding slowly across the length of her slit.

Shayla was imagining Liam's fingers on her, blindly probing along her folds, while he kissed her. Aiden was still at her breasts, but now alternated from one to the other with one hand, pinching twisting, pulling, and brushing over them as she sank deeper into the brother's talents. Her mind was awash in fantasy so real she wanted to stay there forever. Liam's fingers brushed across her engorged clit and sent her heart rapping like a hammer driving nails into wood—five quick raps, so loud she could hear them as much as feel them. The rapping started again and the fantasy dissolved. Liam's fingers and Aiden's hands became her own again. She was no longer kissing Liam, but simply licking her own lips. A third rapping ensured the loss of her fantasy, as she clearly heard someone knocking at the door to her room.

 "Yes," Shayla said her voice low and rough. "Yes," she said again, this time louder.

"It's Maeven," she said through the door. "Supper is ready. Come down whenever you would like."

WIP Wednesday

In this week's post. I introduce a new character. Well he's not exactly a new character; he played opposite Azra Barsonus, my main character in "Lovestruck Succubus."
In this scene, Leonidas has received news of his father's passing. Naturally, he's not too happy about it and, furthermore, feels terrible that he wasn't there when his father died. His emotions out of control, he shifts, and finds himself hunting within the confines of Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

Raif Lungren snatched the microphone from the holder, and responded to the call.

"This is unit thirty-four. Whatcha got, dispatch?"

"Got a call about some kind of wild animal running through Piedmont Park."

Raif looked at his partner, sitting in the passenger seat, stuffing a chicken nugget in his mouth.

"You wanna take this, McClinton?"

McClinton licked his fingers. "We're close enough, why not?" He said, spitting little chunks of chicken nugget out as he spoke.

Lungren clicked the button on the microphone, "We're in the area," he said. "We'll take it."

"Roger, thirty-four," the dispatcher's voice resounded through the car's speaker system. "Animal control is on their way, if you'll do some crowd control until they get there."

Lungren flipped the switch turning on the lights and siren, and weaved through traffic. He turned off the siren before reaching the North parking lot of Piedmont Park, but left the lights on to warn any lovers parked in the dark. He didn't really feel like processing a bunch of late-night lovers and giving citations while waiting for animal control.

"Holy shit," McClinton said as Lungren turned the squad car into the middle of the small parking lot.

Lungren looked through the beam of the headlights in time to see a huge beast standing in the light, looking at them.

"What the hell is that?" Lungren said.

Lungren understood why dispatch just said it was a wild animal running through the park. There really was no rational explanation of what he was looking at. The thing standing in the beams of the headlights was more like a bunch of animals put together like some kind of weird medical experiment. It didn't even move from the light. It just stood there motionless, looking at them with a kind of snarl forming across its snout; and they looked back, equally transfixed, from inside their squad car.

"Is that a wolf?" Lungren heard McClinton unsnapping his holster as he spoke. "Or, maybe it's a bear."

It was hard to tell. The thing was standing on its hind legs like a bear, or a man, but it looked like some kind of huge wolf.

"Wait," McClinton said as he pulled the door handle, popping the passenger door open just a crack. "It's a man in a wolf costume. Gotta be. It looks too much like a human."

"Wait," Lungren yelled at him. "I don't think so." But it was too late. McClinton was already pushing the door open, and stepping out of the car as he unholstered his weapon.

As soon as McClinton stood outside the door, the animal charged. Lungren wanted to yell for him to get back in the car, but the animal moved too fast. In the next instant, it closed the distance with his partner, and had him by the neck, ripping at him and dragging him toward the edge of the parking lot into the darkness. The animal only moved about twenty feet back but had already left pieces of his partner in a trail from the squad car. McClinton's arm lay by itself just feet from the car, his lifeless hand still gripping the handgun. Lungren didn't think, simply reacting to the violent display in front of him. The beast moved so fast, McClinton didn't even get a shot off. Lungren was not going to make the same mistake. He felt his face burn with rage. He wasn't just going to let this beast drag his partner away and tear him to shreds. He didn't know what the hell this thing was, but it was no human. He opened the car door and jumped out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him. The noise got the animal's attention, and he dropped his partner, looking squarely at Lungren.

Lungren raised his pistol and fired. He saw blood spray from the animal's shoulder. The beast barely flinched before launching itself toward him. He fire again, three times. The beast flinched each time, signifying a hit, but it didn't stop. Lungren tried to step backward, pulling the trigger until he heard the click of the hammer on an empty chamber. Just as the beast launch itself at him, he tripped over something and fell backwards. The animal flew over him, landing somewhere out of his field of vision with a thump and a growl. But the beast was back, and ripping at him before he could move. He felt his own skin ripping from his chest as the thing tore at him, felt large canines cupping his arm and clamping down until his bones snapped under the pressure.

Darkness closed in on him, moving from the corners of his vision until it was inside him. Everything slowed down, as if time itself was tormenting him, making him live in this brief moment for an eternity. He saw the beast all over him as if looking at snapshots in time--the shiny glint of eyes and bloodied teeth flashing in front of him. He felt the animal's mouth close around his throat, and he could do nothing to stop it. He could not even feel his arms or legs. He was not sure if they were still attached, or laying somewhere in the parking lot like the parts of his partner. Suddenly, he was weightless, as if flying through the air, suspend but out of the animal's reach. Then, just as suddenly, he hit the ground. He heard his head crack against the asphalt but could do nothing. A brief flash of pain, and darkness overtook him.

An immeasurable amount of time passed in darkness. Flashes of light and voices from strangers momentarily brought him from the darkness, but it was fleeting. He heard someone telling him to hold on, telling him help was on the way. He was still alive, he knew that much, and the words somehow sank into his brain and his heart, giving him permission to let go. It was a feeling of relief really, being able to let go and let nature take its course. A sharp stabbing pain brought him back briefly as he felt himself being lifted.

"Hold on, officer." He heard the voice as if it was already inside his head, as if he were talking to himself. But the voice was soothing, and he let go, allowing the darkness to take over him once more, like a warm blanket on a cold night.

Hope you enjoyed this scene. If you would like to get to know this new character, Raif Lungren, you can find him as one of the main characters in the aformentioned story.

Also, I am in the process of outlining a short story involving Raif, his transformation, and promotion to Police Detective. I would offer this story free like my historical fantasy about Azra in China "The Fifth Beauty."

WIP Wednesday

In this scene, Joseph decides to go to the Pink Pony and see Paulina (Alexis). He's still confused about her pushing him away the night before when he thought they were making progress and getting ready to become intimate.

Now, he walks right into another situation because Norman "Knuckles" Taylor is at the bar, and he wants desperately to take the man in. I'll explain here in case I did not post the prior scene. Previously, Joseph went back to the bond office and was given a skip ticket for none other than Norman "Knuckles" Taylor. Only thing is, Knuckles is a big time player in the local crime underworld, and noboby really thinks he can be brought in. Joe takes the skip because Knuckles' bail is set at a cool million dollars. This means that Joseph's cut would be one hundred thousand dollars.

By sundown the next day, Joe couldn't stand it any more. He had to see Paulina. He had to know why she suddenly pushed him away the night before. Was it something he did? He wasn't ready to confront her at the Pink Pony, but figured she'd be working, and besides, he may just find Knuckles there. He needed to make some progress on cornering the thug, and he wasn't going to do it chasing some woman around.

He saw Knuckles as soon as he walked into the Pink Pony. The man sat at a large round table in front of the stage, surrounded by his bodyguards. Paulina stood in front of him with her order form in her hand. He said something to her, and she held her hand up, shaking it as a gesture of saying no. He said something else to her, Joe couldn't quite make out through the noise in the bar, and she put a hand on her hip while pointing a finger at him. She looked upset, but she wasn't yelling loud enough for him to make out her words. Knuckles said something else to her and she flipped him off.

"Fuck you," Joe heard her say this time, over the din in the bar.

She turned to walk away, but she must not have seen Knuckles' cronies get up from the table and walk around behind her when she flipped him off. Sam stood behind the bar, watching everything but not doing a damn thing. Knuckles reached forward and grabbed Paulina's arm, yanking her violently into his lap. That's when instinct took over, and Joe sprung to action.

He ran directly to the table using his momentum to smash his arm into the head of one of the thugs moving in on Paulina. The thug flew into the man beside him, their heads clunking like empty coconuts before they both fell to the floor with a thud, like a fifty-pound sack of flour. The third man was pulling his arm back, getting ready to pop Joe in the head, but it was too late, Joe swept his leg around and caught the man at the knee. He went down like the other two, falling into a table and breaking it, sending glasses and customers flying. He turned and prepared to face down Knuckles. He was already moving when he heard the faint but distinct sound of a hammer being drawn back and clicking into place. He stopped, dead in his tracks. Knuckles had one hand around Paulina's neck, and the other around a handgun. Oddly enough, Paulina didn't look scared in the least little bit. She looked angry, something animal in her eyes. She had the same look he thought he'd seen from her in the alley the night he brought Lefty into the station. Only this time, fighting back could get her a bullet in her chest, and Knuckles' file suggested he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. On top of all that, he was smart enough to lawyer up and claim self defense. If he hadn't already jumped bail, he'd probably walk, but Paulina wouldn't.

Joe backed away, bringing his hands up over his head. The other three thugs were getting up, and he knew they were going to get some retaliatory punches in on him since Knuckles had a gun aimed at him. He could take the three of them out. Knuckles held the gun in his right hand, to the side of Paulina, exposed, and vulnerable to attack. He could reach his left hand forward with his finger extended, catching the hammer in the webbing between his finger and thumb. He could follow it with his right palm into Knuckles' nose, rendering him useless, or possibly, dead. He couldn't do dead; he needed the money for bringing him. He knew he couldn't stop Knuckles and his three goons at one time. No, he was going to have to take a few punches, and try to snatch Paulina away somewhere in the confusion, shoving her safely away from the gun poking into her side.

He looked at Paulina, trying to send her some kind of mental message, hoping she could see his plan in his eyes. She didn't look scared in the least little bit. In fact, she had a look in her eyes that was predatory. Her eyes even seemed to glow, as if they picked up some unseen light source and reflected it back. He wondered if she had a plan, although, if she did, he feared for her even more. Especially, if her plan was anything like the one she had with Lefty.

The first blow came to his midsection. They were going right for the kidneys, but he reflexively bent over to absorb as much of the punch as he could. The second punch landed squarely on his jaw, just as he anticipated. With that, he stood back up, straight into the arms of the two thugs standing on either side of him. As they grabbed onto his shoulders, he used them as leverage to kick his left foot up, knocking the gun out of Knuckles' hand. The gun flew off somewhere behind him. Another punch came to his kidneys, and he wasn't quite ready for it, a deep grunt escaping him.

Knuckles suddenly released Paulina, pushing her off to the side as he moved forward to get his licks in. Joe took the two punches to his ribs, but he was more concerned with Paulina. The punches made him bend forward, more grunts surely giving his opponents a thrill, but he straightened after each punch and looked for Paulina. She had moved out of sight, probably standing beside the bartender behind the bar. Knuckles squeezed his hand around Joe's neck, and moved close to him, talking in a whisper.

"If I ever see you again, I'll fuck you up." His breath reeked of whiskey and cigarettes. "You understand me, boy?"

Joe said nothing, and it took all of his restraint not to head butt Knuckles, and lay out his thug buddies. No one called him 'boy' if they wanted to live. Besides, there were only four of them, all bunched up against him. Hell, he could take them out two at a time, but for now anyway, he needed to just stand there and take an ass whooping. He couldn't take a chance on this thing turning into a gunfight, and there was no doubt, they'd all go to guns if he started kicking their asses.

Knuckles stepped back, looking at him, sizing him up. Joe gave him nothing except some feigned struggling against the two losers holding him by the arms. Knuckles slapped him hard across his face, another thing that would get him killed if the situation were different. The sucker punch landed next, right to his midsection. Joe absorbed the punch but exaggerated the pain, allowing his knees to buckle. Knuckles turned to retrieve his gun, and his two goons dropped Joe to the floor, stepping over him as they followed. The third goon got one last kick into his gut as he stepped over him. His posse reassembled, Knuckles left the bar.

Joe waited until the door shut behind Knuckles and his gang to stand up. Paulina ran out from behind the bar and toward him. He was happy, thinking his act of heroism would convince her to finally explain herself to him, lower her guard and admit her feelings for him. He was certainly ready to admit his feelings for her. He opened his arms as she approached, waiting for to jump into him with a big thankful hug. Instead, she stopped short and slapped him over the same cheek Knuckles slapped earlier. Her slapped stunned him. He stood motionless and confused as she pointed a finger at him, and started a rant he would probably never figure out.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Paulina seemed genuinely pissed, not at all thankful. "They were giving me great tips."

Joe could do nothing. There simply was no way to respond.

"I'm so sick of you showing up and trying to play hero. I'm sick of you walking around thinking everyone needs to be saved."

Something gave Joe the sinking feeling she was just getting started.

"I can take care of myself, you know. I had the situation under control."

"Yeah," he said. "I like the way you controlled that gun pointed at you, and some thug practically having his way with you right in the middle of the bar." He realized it was wrong to say it, but it just slipped out.

Paulina fell silent. The whole bar became silent, even the music had stopped, as if they were in some surreal spaghetti western, and the gunfighter just challenged someone in the saloon. Paulina opened her mouth to speak, her finger still pointing at him, and he prepared himself for the onslaught.

"You know, Joe, you’re an asshole." Paulina didn't look mad anymore, she looked like she was about to cry. "Just get out," she said. "Get out the bar, and get out of my life." She turned, and ran behind the bar and through the doors to the kitchen.

There was nothing left for him to do, but leave. The entire bar was silent, every eye upon him. Without another word, he left the bar, half-expecting Knuckles and his thugs to be waiting for him outside. May have been waiting for him but luck was on his side. They were too busy discussing something in the parking lot. Joe found, in his experience, every failure presented in itself, opportunities for future success. Joe stepped into the shadows and quietly waited. With luck, Knuckles would give him the opportunity he was looking for.

Hope you enjoyed this week's work in progress post. I may skip ahead in the coming weeks as I complete the draft and begin the initial edit. After finishing the first edit, I'll send the entire manuscript out to anyone willing to read and comment on the project. I'm willing to take whatever feedback I can get, from grammar comments to story concept, character development or overall feeling of the story. Thanks for joining this week.

Until next week, then...

WIP Wednesday

This week I skip ahead again to a pivotal scene that relieves some of the tension I'd built up in the previous chapter.

I end the previous chapter with Leonidas discovering that Alexis continued on the bus to Montgomery, Alabama. He is now getting ready to drive there and collect her up to be his mate, whether she agrees or not.

Before he makes it out of Atlanta, he receives a call from Ellijay with bad news. The news puts the brakes on his quest and prompts him to shift into wolf form. His actions will ultimately create a secret he must keep, along with a game-changer for Dimitri, who wants his granddaughter back without the condition of ritual mating with the future pack alpha.

Enjoy:

The moon disappeared and reappeared behind tall buildings as Leonidas walked to his car. It would be full in a few days.

"Full moon rising," he said to himself, and chuckled under his breath.

He'd always found it amusing how mortals, and even some ferals, thought a werewolf was somehow tied to the moon. The moon guided him no more than anything else but he did need the full moon for the mating ritual, and he planned to be mated to Alexis in just a few days, with or without his father's blessing.

It would be easier to wait till morning, get a fresh start to Montgomery, but he didn't want to wait. He'd checked a map and found Montgomery was only about three hours West on Interstate eighty-five. It would be better to get there tonight, find the bus station first thing in the morning. Alexis would be back to Ellijay by tomorrow afternoon, or He'd find a way to get her ostracized from the pack. If that didn't work, he'd find a way to make her dead.

His cell phone rang as he was pulling into traffic.

"Leonidas, it's Paul. I'm afraid I've got some news."

Leo threw the phone from his ear. It landed on the seat next to him and he could still hear the pack doctor talking on the other end.

"Leo ... Leo? You still there?" came from the phone in a minuscule, tinny voice.

Whatever the doctor had to say, he didn't want to hear it. Leo pulled to the side of the street and took a deep breath. He was prepared for bad news, but there was always the chance the doctor was just calling to tell him his father's health was improving. But Leonidas knew the doctor wouldn't be calling him with good news. For that, he'd wait until he returned. Leo gathered his strength, and hesitantly reached for the cell phone.

"What is it, doc."

"It's about your father, Leo," the doctor's voice sounded hushed on the phone. The kind of voice doctors always use when they give bad news to family members.

"Don't say it," Leo yelled into the phone.

"He passed sometime last night."

"Damn it, I know," he yelled back, his voice starting to crack as his vision blurred."You didn't have to tell me."

"You need to come home, Leonidas."

"I'm on my way." Leo ended the call and threw his phone away. It bounced off the roof and cracked the passenger window before landing right back beside him on the seat.

I should have been there.

Leo fought through a torment of conflicting emotions as he mindlessly pulled into traffic and drove. Lights from oncoming traffic blinded him, appearing as sunburst, cutting harshly through the darkness.

I should have listened to him.

He drove. Leo drove blindly through the streets of downtown Atlanta, unaware of his surroundings, not caring where he went. Just driving, running. He fought hard against a rage building within himself. It was the only emotion he knew, and the most dangerous. He struggled to contain a building howl, a shifting. There was no outlet for his rage. He was in his car amongst a city of mortals, like an animal locked in a cage. He found himself driving along a dark street, some kind of park out his driver's side window. The need was too great. He slammed on his brakes, sliding sideways into a parking spot.

The shift came within three steps of the car, and the wolf ran into the darkness. The wolf ran blindly down deserted park pathways along a lake, tears wetting the fur along the sides of its face. The wolf ran, stopping only to sniff the air for any creature to hunt down.

Hope you enjoyed this scene. I will continue to skip ahead on scenes as I am in the process of finishing the draft now. For those interested, I'm now in the process of looking for Beta-readers after my project goes through the first edit. As always, comments and critiques are welcome.

WIP Wednesday

Put your seat belts on, fair readers, this is going to take awhile. This week I am combining two scenes. The first scene is in Joe's point of view, as he visits Alexis at the club, ending in a second date at the local all-night restaurant. The second scene is from Lexi's point of view. She's asked him back to her apartment (trailer) with every intention of seducing him. Problem is that she's never actually seduced a man, or even been with a man before, and begins to shift against her will.

Enjoy,

A few customers started filtering into the bar, so Joe left the bar stool, and found himself a table toward the back of the bar, where he could see the the door and the stage without being noticed. Paulina came in with Becky right behind her. They both went directly to the bar and talked to Sam. He wondered if Sam would have the balls to bring up the prospect of dancing to Paulina. Obviously not, since Paulina and Becky found his table and sat down with him. Becky left her chap stick tube on his tabletop, and her purse over the back of a chair, when she left to change. He noticed, Paulina didn't have a purse with her, odd for a woman not to have a purse.

"What brings you back here tonight, Joe?" Paulina had a sly look on her face. She sipped a Coke through a straw, her upward turned lips indicating she was happy to see him. "You on the job, or are you unemployed at the moment?"

"I'm always on the job." He wasn't sure he wanted to tell her he was going to bring in Knuckles--not yet, anyway.

She smiled at him, and left the table to serve some new costumers. Joe sat at the table, watching Paulina move from one table to another, filling orders, putting a halt to the advances of drunken amorous men. He watched the front entrance, for Knuckles or any of his stooges. He watched the back exit door into the alleyway for anyone sneaking out to warn him. Knuckles never showed himself, and as far as Joe knew, none of his stooges showed themselves either. He managed to nurse just three drinks during Paulina's entire work shift. Paulina teased him when she brought his second drink, calling it a virgin rum and coke.Sam made last call, and started ushering customers out the door. Paulina came to his table, sitting in the chair opposite him to count her tips.

"Busy night?" He asked Paulina as she stacked quarters in a row.

"Looks like I made enough in tips to spend twenty minutes at the arcade," she said. "I'm surprised how many customers leave a tip of pocket change, and lint balls."

Joe leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin, and thinking of the best approach to mention what Sam had talked to him about earlier. He wasn't much motivated to mention it at all. Although, the prospect of nabbing Knuckles without a fight worked for him financially.

"I wonder how Becky does in tips." He thought talking about Becky might give him an idea of how she felt about dancing. "At least, she gets paid in dollars, instead of quarters.

"I'm sure she does well, Paulina said. "She was a professional dancer in Vegas, you know, but I wouldn't be caught dead on that pole in a million years."

"Are you shy?" Joe was ready to change the subject, and he sensed she was uncomfortable talking to him about it too.

"Me?" Paulina pointed to herself with an exaggerated expression. "Showing a little skin doesn't bother me, but I'd die of embarrassment if anyone saw me try to dance. There's no way anybody could get me on that stage. I'll stick to serving drinks and flirting with customers, thank you very much."

Paulina convinced him that the thought of her dancing was a dead end, and that was just fine. Besides, he was already starting to feel like he might just be a little uncomfortable with the thought of strange men gawking at her while she danced, mostly naked, on a stage.

"How would you like to get some coffee again tonight?" He said, thinking it was time to change the subject. "Maybe we can find someplace a little nicer tonight."

Paulina put a finger to her mouth, and looked up in an exaggerated expression of thinking, then said. "I'll go with you under one condition."

"You're going put conditions on free coffee?" He said, and laughed.

"Yes, I like conditions," she said. "How about, this time we go without Becky."

"Deal."

Paulina left the table to go talk to Becky, and waited for her by the door. Sam looked at him so many times, it was beginning to make him uncomfortable. He was sure Sam was curious whether he talked to her about dancing or not. Sam was just going to have to hoist his balls up and ask her himself if he was so determined.

"Wow, looks like you're getting classier with each date," Paulina said, as He angled the truck into a parking space. "International House of Pancakes for a second date. I can't imagine where we'd go next, Olive Garden?" She laughed, but brought her hand over to meet his on the seat.

"I'm sorry, but this is the best I can do with the hours we keep." Joe opened his door and slid out of the seat, running over to open her door.

He followed her into the restaurant, opening the door for her, and then running past her to open the second door. She sat across from him in a cozy booth that was long enough to easily fit at least six adults. He was a little surprised when she ordered steak and eggs, the steak as rare as the waitress told her the restaurant could legally serve. He ordered eggs with country ham and red eye gravy with grits on the side. Paulina engaged him in idle chit-chat while they waited for their food, asking him if he'd always lived here, and if he liked NASCAR, and what college football team he supported. He kept the conversation light by telling her that NASCAR was for Georgians, and Alabamians didn't decide which college football team they supported, they were born a fan of Alabama or Auburn. They fell quiet when the food came, their only communication becoming the cutting of meat, and the occasional request for salt.

Paulina was the first to break the silence after the plates were taken away and replaced with coffee cups.

"So, Joe," she said. "Did you really come into the bar tonight for me, or are you on the hunt for another criminal?"

"Mostly because of you." He didn't want to tell her he was after biggest crime boss in the state. "Besides, my criminal never showed up."

Paulina fell silent again. Every time he looked across the table at her, she was staring at him, a look in her eyes like she was sizing him up, or considering another question. He busied himself by ruffling through the bills in his wallet, pretending he was deciding on how much to tip the waitress. Paulina got his attention when she said, "Well, I guess the date's over." He suddenly realized he'd already laid cash on the table, blanketing the bill.

"Oh, no." He said." I'm sorry, it's just a habit to pay the bill as soon as it comes."

"That's okay," Paulina winked at him. "Our date doesn't have to be over." She reached over the table and placed her hand on top of his. "We could get another cup of coffee at my place."

"Okay," was all he could think to say.

"Let's go," she said.

He slid out the booth and took her hand, wondering if she could see the anticipation written all over him. It was all he could do to keep from breaking the posted speed limit on the drive to her apartment.

* * *

All the way back to her place, Lexi wondered just what she'd gotten herself into. She had no experience with men, but Joe was different. She liked him. She wanted him, and she wanted this to happen. She was ready. Joe parked the truck in front of the single-wide trailer she called home, and she waited while he ran around the front of the truck to open her door. He followed her to the wooden steps that led to the door, and held a small pen flashlight for her while she unlocked the door, fumbling nervously as she tried to fit the key into the door.

As they went through the door, she felt Joe's hand on her back. Then, he wrapped his other arm around her from behind, and pulled her into him, turning her until she faced him, theirs lips nearly touching. Her knees nearly gave way, as the intensity of their first kiss pulsed from her lips and saturated her entire body. She knew Joe would not let her fall, he was holding her so tight, she felt her feet may already be off the floor. She suddenly realized her loss of control, and wide-eyed fear replaced blind lust. What if she lost control, and shifted? That would not be good for Joe. He'd proven himself strong and fast but all that was nothing compared to what she would become. She feared he would react violently, and in her animal state, she might kill him. That certainly wouldn't be a good start for their relationship.

"How about that coffee?" Lexi pushed against Joe's chest, and squirmed out of his arms, her body immediately cold and wanting the warmth of him again.

"Sure," he said, his eyebrows furrowed, and his head shaking left to right in what could only be confusion.

Now, she wasn't even sure why she invited him back for coffee. She didn't even own a coffee pot. But, she didn't want to lose him. He was the first man she ever felt this way about, and it was all too confusing, especially with the other secrets she had to keep from him.

"Uh, I only have instant. You okay with that?" A sudden fear overwhelmed her again. She feared he might sense her apprehension and leave.

"Instant is fine," Joe said. "That's what I drink at home, anyway."

She filled a teapot with water, put it on the stove, and sat down beside Joe on the small couch.

"Now, where were we?" She said, as she leaned into him, bringing her arms up around his muscular shoulders.

Their lips touched, and electricity spread through her body like a wildfire. There were parts of her body responding to his touch, she'd never even knew existed. A trail of heat, and fire, and electricity followed every movement of his big hands moving slowly, gently over her clothes. He moved his hands along her back, upwards across her shoulders, and down her arms, until he found her hands, holding them securely within his. He broke their kiss, moving away from her just far enough to look her directly in the eyes. His eyes were intense, dark, and possessive. The eyes of an Alpha, for sure.

The look in her eyes made her want him even more, and she leaned into him, diving into luxurious warmth of his kiss again. A little voice inside her head started its protest. The voice said this could never be. The voice peeped that she could not have a human. She moaned into Joe's mouth, ignoring the voice.

The fire and electricity intensified, as Joe's hands moved back up her arms and shoulders, all the way to the bottoms of her earlobes, before plunging down her to the middle of her spine. He pulled at her blouse until it freed itself from the hem of her jeans. A flash of fire and need shot to her core as she felt Joe's bare hands on the skin of her back, working their way upwards until reaching the clasp of her bra. The voice now echoed warnings, as if yelled from a distant mountain, but she ignored it. She felt Joe working the at the clasps with both hands, but she was ruled by his kiss, and that was all that mattered. She let him work at her bra, willing him to work faster.

The first clasp came free, then the second, bringing with it, a rush of want and anticipation as she felt her large breasts give way to gravity. As  Joe moved his hands around her sides and over her breasts, the voice was washed away in her pleasure, but she felt the unmistakable feeling of her hair growing and thickening on her arms, a kind of tingling, stinging sensation that was not pleasant by any measure. The voice was suddenly back, now screaming a warning that she was going somewhere she could not come back from. She'd never been with a human before. Hell, she'd never been with anyone. The voice became a torrent of noise, as she felt those little changes inside her signaling a slow change in her form. The screaming turned to a whistle, and she realized the water was boiling on the stove.

"Wait," she said, as she pushed away from Joe. "Stop."

Joe looked at her, confusion in his eyes, his hands still cupping her breasts.

"We can't do this. Not now." She heard herself saying the words, but they sounded as if someone else was saying them. She was confused. She wanted him, but fear overcame her. Not a fear of losing her virginity, but a fear of the unknown--of what she might do to him. The teapot whistled on the stove, creating a confusing cacophony of noise, clouding her thoughts. Despite her best efforts to hold back, she still felt the changes coming within her. Was she going to shift uncontrollably, right in front him? She'd had full control of her shift since she was nine years old. Why was she suddenly unable to control anything?

"You have to go," she yelled at Joe as she back away and jumped up from the couch.

"But, why?" Joe said. "It's okay, we can just talk."

"No!" she snapped back at him. "Just go." Her vision was already becoming blurred with her own tears. "Just go now." she said, quieter this time, as she turned away from him, and pulled the teapot off the burner.

Lexi didn't turn around until she heard Joe walk out and shut the door, his footsteps thumping down the wooden steps. All those little signs inside her went away--her shift was not going to come. It wasn't until she heard the truck rumble to life, throwing gravel as Joe sped away, that she allowed herself to cry. It came in waves so intense, she had to sit back down on the couch and hold her head in her hands. She knew now that she was falling in love with Joe--with a human. She knew that it was a love that simply could not be. She couldn't let it happen.

Defeated and heartbroken, she wondered if she would be better off just going back to Ellijay with her tail between her legs and accepting her preordained mating to Leonidas. Her birthright doomed her to a life of compromise and servitude. Her selfish independence only allowed her to see the life she would never have.

Hope you enjoyed these two scenes combined together this week. I know it was rather long, but I may be combining scenes or skipping scenes in an attempt to actually display a good representation of all chapters before the novel goes to editing and betas.