Friday, May 22, 2020

Short Story Saturday: Another 8 Hours from a 'Jessica's *What if* writing prompt'




Another 8 Hours


I squeeze my eyes tight, trying to bring the image to my mind as to force myself into the reality I desire when I drift to sleep.

'Please! Don't put me back into the dark world of beasts and ghouls. The world where they tear one another apart with little regard as to what they are doing and why,' I scream within my thoughts.

I feel my breathing slow as I drift to sleep, into another world. He's there. His face kind, caring . . . knowing. His green eyes shimmer with mischief. He smiles. It spreads further to his cheeks than possible. Further still. The corner of his lips reaching the lobes of his ears, splitting his face in two.

I scream as the top of his head falls back, thudding at the nape of his neck. His exposed esophagus has what looks like dark, black, hairy twigs escaping it. The opening widens as the biggest spider I've ever seen is freed from his gaping maw.

I jump to my feet and run. Only tricked that I'd actually come to the place I'd hoped to dream of, instead to have been placed in the nightmare world I'd wished to avoid. Another night, another 8 hours I must fight to stay alive. No wonder I'm always so tired when I wake up.






*This flash fiction story came about from a segment in the Facebook group 'Supporting Indies, Reaching Readers' called Jessica's 'What if' Weekly. Every week Jessica Minor posts a 'What if' question; some ponder on the question, others write a tale inspired by the question, and some just move along as if the world didn't just stop turning for one of their fellow authors. This week's question was: What if the place in your dreams or nightmares were really an unknown dimension?

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Writer Wednesday: Week Fifty-three



Hey, everyone! How are we doing this week? I'm still trying to get used to this little, itty, bitty keyboard on this small convertible laptop. But I'm getting stuff done. Though it keeps yelling at me about low storage, but it doesn't seem to want to use the 128GB mini sd card I put in it for storage. I guess it's beyond my technological understanding. I'll figure it out sometime or another, I'm sure.

Onward to this week's featured author. Week Fifty-three of Writer Wednesday features another author I met on Writer On: Kate McGinn. Kate's an awesome writer and a fantastic person. She writes Romance and Romantic Suspense, and she also donated a story to One Million Project: Fiction anthology. You can find out more about Kate and her works at the following links below.


Kate McGinn's Facebook Author Page

Kate McGinn's Twitter

Kate McGinn's Blog/Website

Kate McGinn's Wattpad

Kate McGinn's Amazon Author Page

Books:

Exodus (Clare Thibodeaux Series Book 1)

Winter's Icy Caress (Clare Thibodeaux Book 2)

Never Show Your Hand (Clare Thibodeaux Series Book 3)

One Million Project: Fiction

Bite Size Stories: Vol 2



Thank you for joining me this week! I hope to see you all again next week. Remember to leave your favorite authors reviews. They thrive on them. ♥

Friday, May 15, 2020

Snippet Saturday: Your Momma Didn't Raise You Right an excerpt from 'Wraith'




First off: this post is a great example of why you get the content warning when clicking on a link for my blog. This excerpt contains both sexual and violent content while balancing a bit of adult humor. So, continue reading with that in mind. 😉



Your Momma Didn't Raise You Right
an excerpt from 'Wraith'

Turning the corner, I glanced around, disappointed at the lack of people. Maybe it was too early, but usually at the truck stops I was familiar with, the first shift of panhandlers were in place at the break of dawn, swindling truck drivers and travelers before they could get their first cup of coffee and fully wake up.

“Shit!” I swore, and then bit my lip, narrowing my eyes.

“Such language from such a purrty thing. Your momma didn’t raise you right.” The voice came from the parking lot behind me.

“Excuse me?” I spun around and glared at the broad-shouldered, mostly silver-haired man stepping up on the store’s sidewalk.

“Don’t get me wrong, while you ain’t marrying material, a girl with a dirty mouth usually carries that dirty over elsewhere.” He waggled his eyebrow at me. “I’ve got fifty bucks if you show me how dirty you can be.”

“Are you fucking kiddin’ me?” I laughed at him and rolled my eyes. “Ugh!”

“Name’s Rusty.  If you change your mind, I’ll be out in a few. We can put that dirty little mouth of yours to work. Maybe, I could scrape up another twenty-five if it’s more than just your mouth.” He stuck his tongue out and flicked it furiously, lapping at the air in a suggestive way. “Who knows? If you’re a good little, dirty girl, I’ll give you a ride on the Rusty Racer.”

He walked in through the automatic doors as I gagged, forcing down the bile that threatened to come up my throat and out of my mouth. Who the hell names their tongue? I thought with a shudder.

I walked to the opposite side of the building and looked along the empty walkway. Frustrated and irritated, I started back to the car.

Just eat the truck driver. That guy seems like a prick, anyway. I’ll have someone clean it up later. Bastian’s voice glided through my mind.

I recoiled at the thought but decided the options were limited, and the guy pretty much invited it. Fine. I guess you’re right. I’ll be around in a bit. Gotta wait for him to come back out.

You could always take a little longer, have a little fun . . . try out the Rusty Racer. The sound of laughter echoed through my head.

Um, yeah. Nah, I’m good. I shook my head, trying to erase the image that passed through my thoughts.

He’s not too bad looking. Not hot, but I guess you like ‘em to look like they’re barely out of high school. His words struck hard when I realized he was referring to Marshall. Not that Bastian looked any older.

Bite me, I retorted.

Only if you ask nicely, he replied, catching me off guard.

“Still here, I see,” the trucker said behind me.

I tried to compose myself before turning to face him, knowing a blush had crept up my cheeks from Bastian’s last comment. “Yeah, turns out I like to be dirty. You don’t even have to pay me.” I smirked.

His jaw went slack, and he seemed at a loss for words.

“Unless you didn’t mean it. I can go find someone else, but I really wanted to see why you call it Racer.” I pouted my bottom lip out. “Like can you put a vibrator to shame or is it just over quick-like? I suppose if it’s done properly, quick is fine as long as it actually gets the job done.”

He stood there dumbfounded.

I huffed. “I see,” I said, pouting my bottom lip out further, “you’re all bark and no bite.” Turning, I took a step to walk away.

He gripped my wrist, causing me to spin back around and face him again, need burning within his hazy blue eyes. “Where you going?” He pressed my palm to the bulge at the front of his jeans. “You can’t cause this, and then just walk away.”

“Technically, yes, I can, but I won’t. Where are you parked?” I asked, shaking my arm from his grip.

“It’s the red and blue rig over that way.” He jutted his chin toward the left side of the parking lot.

“Well, let’s go get that little guy taken care of.” Taking the lead, I headed for the semi he’d indicated.

He unlocked the door when we reached the truck, and he made sure to ‘help’ me into the cab by grabbing my ass as I climbed in. When I slid the curtain to the side, I was surprised by what was there. I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t a full set-up—king size bed, sink, mini fridge, and a T.V.

“Nice,” I said, walking to the bed and sitting down.

“Worth every penny.” He stood hovering just in front of the curtain before he reached back to pull it closed behind him.

I patted the bed beside me. “Well, get over here and show me what I’m working with.”

Uh, Coral, what are you doing? The words drifted through my mind, uncertain.

I chuckled internally. What I do best? Seduce and slaughter. I thought you knew that?

Can you not project? I don’t really want to watch this. Bastian’s words were contradicted by the way they drifted through my mind, more with a tone of interest than disgust.

What? You’re an adult. You can handle a blowjob. It . . . well, it just might be a little bloody. You’re not opposed to blood, are you? I mean, you do drink it, right? I let the words pass through my mind to his as I watched truck-driver Rusty drop his pants.

Um, Coral, that thing’s not a straw? Please, don’t act like it is. That’s just not right. I don’t care how much of a creep he is. Bastian’s words nearly had me sputtering with laughter, but I held it in.

“Aww, he’s so ready, but you’re still all the way over there. What are you waiting for? Kick your pants off your fucking ankles and get over here,” I said, and then licked my palm before inserting two fingers into my mouth and sucking them.

Rusty whimpered, honest to goodness whimpered, and then did what I’d told him. When he was close enough, I wrapped my moistened hand around his hardness, stroking down and then back up the length of him. My thumb glided over his tip, catching the bead of slickness that had left him.

Bastian pleaded in my mind about not wanting to watch, did I not have an ounce of humanity? Blah, blah, blah. I hadn’t actually planned on putting my hand on the thing, let alone my mouth, but Bastian’s freak out was too much fun.

I looked up at the man in front of me, his eyes were intent and focused on my hand as it slowly slid down the length of him and back up again. “Why don’t you lie down? Get comfortable?” I said and moved my hand away from the throbbing lump of flesh.

He sat down beside me and laid back, sliding further up the bed to where only his sock-covered feet hung off the edge.

I could practically hear Bastian’s labored breathing. Seems he didn’t mind so much ‘watching’ the ongoings, but he seemed just as surprised as Rusty did when my pocketknife sliced through his femoral artery.

No, neither one of them noticed as I’d slipped the blade from my pocket or even the small click it made as I opened it. I’d adjusted myself like I was going to take him into my mouth, and then there was blood everywhere as I plunged the blade through the thickness of his thigh. It made a much bigger mess than I’d anticipated before I could seal my lips around the incision.

The shock of it left truck-driver Rusty silent, and he was dead before he realized what had happened. Of that fact, I was nearly positive. Once the blood stopped filling my mouth, I pulled back, noticing the creamy splash of ejaculate across the man’s lower belly and up his shirt. His face locked in an expression between ecstasy and fear.

That was all kinds of wrong. Bastian’s words sounded somehow breathless as they flowed through my mind. You weren’t always this ruthless. It’s . . .

Hot? Sick? I offered.

Unnerving, yet, strangely compelling, he said.

I shook my head. I’m gonna need you to drive back here. I’m a mess. I need to shower when we get to that bitch’s house.




**Note: this excerpt is not a final draft. It is subject to change before the release of the final product.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Writer Wednesday: Week Fifty-two




Welcome to week Fifty-two of Writer Wednesday. I hope everyone is still hanging in there okay. I've finally been getting some writing in; YAY, me! Okay, enough celebrating. On to what we're here for.

Writer Wednesday: Week Fifty-two's featured author is L. A. Guettler. I came across Guettler in the Writers, Poets, and Deviants writer group, and I have her book 'Red Darkling' on my TBR (to be read) list. You can find L. A. Guettler and her works at the following links below.


Lea Anne Guettler's Facebook Author Page

L. A. Guettler's Twitter


Books:

Red Darkling

Red, White, and Christmas: A Red Darkling Tale

Code Red: A Red Darkling Tale


Well, I'm off. Thanks for joining me this week. I hope to see everyone here again next week for a new featured author. Remember to support indie authors by purchasing their work through legitimate sellers and by leaving them reviews.

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Snippet Saturday: Zombies on a Plane an excerpt from 'Impractical Encounter'




As they called for general boarding, Billie turned to Randy. “I don't think I can do this. I haven't even got on the plane, and I think I'm going to barf.”

“Deep breaths, honey. Deep breaths.”

They fell in line, shuffling behind an elderly couple. Randy checked the seat numbers for the umpteenth time. When they finally reached the inside of the plane Randy shook his head at the realization that one of them had to sit by the window.

He stopped at their row number. “Do you want me to sit by the window, or do you want to sit in the middle?”

“Ugh, you're kidding, right?” Billie asked. “Um, you take the window. Maybe shut it so I won't be tempted to look out to see how high we are.”

“Okay,” Randy said and shimmied past the man sitting in the first seat.

Billie glanced around. “Does this bag look small enough to put under the seat to you?”

“Uh, maybe?” Randy replied.

The man glanced up from a book he was reading and looked at Billie and her bag. “Yeah, that'll fit. Now sit down, the people behind you will turn into a lynch mob if you make them wait much longer.”

“Oh.” Billie turned her head to the impatient faces behind her. “I'm sorry,” she said apologetically.

She squeezed through to her seat. When she was finally situated, she retrieved her tablet from her bag and then shoved the bag under the seat in front of her. It rested on the toes of her shoes. She fidgeted with the belt and finally managed to clasp the buckle. Settled, she closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

“Hey, Billie,” Randy said, snapping her out of her mini meditation.

“What?”

“Look,” he told her and pointed out the window.

“Shit, is that the wing? That means we have a front row seat if something, Zeus forbid, happens to the engine on this side. Ugh, this is what nightmares are made of. Well, this and zombies,” she said quietly.

Randy laughed nervously. Then both shock and fear flooded Billie's expression.

“Randy, what if there are zombies on the plane! Or what if the food turns the people here into zombies? Randy, we'll be stuck on a plane, however many thousands of feet up, with zombies trying to eat us. I don't think I can do this.”

The guy in the first seat grinned, shook his head, and stuck the earbuds from his iPod in his ears.

Randy was silent for a few seconds, just staring at his sister, before he spoke. “Billie, your imagination is incredible. Zombies aren't real and if, by chance, the zombie apocalypse occurs . . . Well, I'll try my damnedest to fight them off.”

“You're right. But at least you're not completely blowing off the what ifs.”

Just then the pilot's voice came through the speakers. Something about five minutes to take-off and then to turn their attention to the screen in front of them or to the flight attendants. Billie didn't pay much attention, her nerves getting the best of her as the plane began to move back. There was something about seat belts, oxygen masks, your seat cushion being a flotation device, and emergency exits. She glanced at the window beside Randy, then to the one in front of them. She was glad to see that they didn't have the emergency exit, but it was right in front of them. She would not have the proper frame of mind to help people off the plane if it crashed and people survived.

The plane lurched forward. Billie tensed. Randy grabbed her hand. Time contradicted itself by freezing and speeding by, all at once. The plane began to pick up speed. Faster and faster.

“Oh, my god, Randy. I can't do this,” she said, tears escaping her eyes. The front of the plane began to raise, and Billie's stomach dropped. “Oh-my-god. Oh-my-god. Oh. My. God.” Billie's tears streamed faster and fuller.

Randy put his arm on the back of her head and brought her tear-streaked face to his chest. “Shhh, you're already doing it. It's going to be okay, sweetheart.”

He forced his body to stop shaking. He had to be strong for her. Truth was, he was scared shitless, too. He stroked the back of her head. Calming her until he finally felt her weeping subside. Shortly after the plane leveled off, Billie lifted her head and wiped at the tears that lingered unshed.

“I'm sorry, Randy. I got your shirt all wet. And, I made a fool out of myself.”

“It'll dry.” He shrugged. “Also, I don't think anyone was paying attention. I told you it was going to be okay, didn't I?”

“Yeah, but I still feel a little queasy, and we still have the entire flight left. We've barely made it into the sky. So, until my feet are back on the ground, I'm not going to say that everything is okay,” she said, still a little shaken.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Writer Wednesday: Week Fifty-One



Hey, everyone! How's everybody doing? I hope everyone is safe and well. We're back for a new Writer Wednesday. We're at Week Fifty-one. We ready? Here we go!

The featured author for Week Fifty-one of Writer Wednesday is Sharon Ricklin. Sharon writes Paranormal, Time Travel, and Contemporary Romance. You can find her and her works at the following links:


Facebook Author Page

Twitter

Youtube

Website

Amazon Author Page


Books:

Ravenswynd Legends (Ravenswynd Series) Book 1

Ravenswynd Dreams (Ravenswynd Series) Book 2

Ravenswynd Visions (Ravenswynd Series) Book 3

Ravenswynd Destinies (Ravenswynd Series) Book 4

Ravenswynd Series Boxed Set

River of Time

Garden of Time

Frozen of Time

Song of Memory



Thanks for joining me this week, and I hope to see you all again next week. Stay well, everyone. Remember to support indie authors. Purchase their works from legitimate book retailers, and please, leave reviews for your favorite authors.♥

Friday, May 1, 2020

Snippet Saturday: Just a Bear an excerpt from Wraith



Take Note: This excerpt needs some serious editing. I haven't posted in a couple weeks and I have no idea what day it is half the time anymore, so realizing it's Saturday, I grabbed a section I was working on to post.



Hours had passed by, and while I’d hoped to get some sleep, I merely drifted in and out of a fitful rest in the passenger’s seat. I felt the hair raise on my arms and a tingle, that seemed all too familiar like an old friend, run down my spine. At the very moment I gasped, Bastian accelerated the car.

I was about to ask him why when a large beast breaking from the tree line drew my attention. There was no mistaking that the mass of fur and muscle was feline, but I’d never even seen a tiger or lion as massive as this thing was, let alone a native cougar. While the darkness and speed of the car made it difficult to get a good look, I could see it looked very similar in color to a lion, but it lacked a mane, and at its size I would assume it would be a male. I, however, had no experience with large cats, other than the occasional run-in with a cougar, and the thing was no fucking cougar.

“Bastian, stop the car! Pull over!” I shouted. “There’s a fucking lion back there. It must have gotten loose from a zoo or something.”

“What are you going to do, stop it and take it back? Besides, it was just a bear,” he said, accelerating even more.

That was not a bear.” I look at him incredulous before looking back out the window. “Look, it’s still there. Like it’s trying to run alongside us.”

“I’m telling you, it’s a bear. I think you’re a little too stressed out.” He changed lanes, moving away from the animal and accelerated further.

I saw the beast turn and disappear back into the woods. Yeah, I didn’t know what I’d planned to do had Bastian actually pulled over, but something told me I needed to come face to face with the large cat. I remembered the tingle down my spine and the hair raising on my arms, and I wondered if it was merely a coincident. Something niggled at the back of my mind, something Innocence had said once.

“Let’s get something straight, the next time I tell you to pull my car over, you damn well better pull it over. Understood?” I said to him.

“Sure thing, Coral Ann. Would you prefer to drive?” He looked at me, and I shook my head. “It was just a bear.”

“Okay, sure. It was a bear.” I blew out a breath. “How long before we get to her place?”

“Probably nine or ten hours. You still have time to sleep if you want,” he said, his tone softer and more caring than before, and I closed my eyes.