Sunday Snippet: Zinging Barbs

July kind of flew by in a series of weird weather and crazy work schedules. I'm oddly okay with that. The weather is what it is… and will probably keep acting like an angry toddler. My work calendar is bursting at the seams and I'm excited about my new projects.

But… my television viewing is sporadic, which isn't a bad thing. I'm just so used to doing rundowns each week I feel like my blog is naked if I don't have a full slate. LOL

I did get a few shows watched. I started with Midsomer Murders and got a holiday episode. There's a new detective sergeant or maybe it's detective constable, but either way, I'll miss Jones. I loved that character. Which isn't to say the new guy won't grow on me. He's not bad. Good mystery also.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and it's rather different and I like it. I'm not sure how long the first season is, but the series is something like fourteen seasons and it's nice to have variety in format.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I'm kind of excited to watch a live-action episode with Two. So far, it's been six animated episodes.

Finished the final episode of Blade. I have to admit to still being disappointed with the outcome on my rewatch. Sometimes I can have a change of heart when I've got a few years of distance when viewing a show's run.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a great episode. I'm starting to like Grayson a little more and it'll be fun to see if Frankie's mom sticks around.

Watched the fifth episode of Daredevil and, eh, this is something of a slow-moving season. I do like where things are going and it's great to see Karen kind of have to face what she did in a previous season. That said, I'm enough of a Fisk non-fan to really not want to watch a bunch of scenes with him. And the FBI agent annoys the crap out of me. I actually think he's too smart to be playing things so stupidly. So, yeah, I hope the rest of the season evens out.

Started Riverdale's Bizarrodale episode and hope to finish it later today. This season has been dark and twisty and I like it.

New episodes of Killjoys have started and I'll be hopelessly behind on those, but I can't wait to watch this final season.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zinging Barbs, a sexy short bonus scene featuring Reagan and Ian from Poetry in Motion.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Reagan Bruce won't slow down, not even when she's seven months pregnant and Ian Flannigan decides to walk away from competing to keep Reagan healthy. The couple exchanges some zinging barbs until they work out their issues.

And a sneaky peek…

Reagan Bruce planted her hands on her hips, her pregnant belly on prominent display. "Where you go I go." Ian Flannigan would not leave her behind.

Ian gave her stomach a pointed look. "The wee one inside you disagrees." He met her gaze. "And so does our doctor." He always used inclusive words… like it meant he shared her burden-slash-blessing more than he actually did.

Or could.

As if.

Reagan brought her hands forward to palm her protruding stomach. "Yeah, well, my doctor doesn't always make the right call. I'm seven months pregnant. Of course I'm tired a lot." And, okay, her energy levels came in short bursts, but she got shit done when they came.

Ian blew out a harsh breath. "You're being stupid, Reagan. You make it sound like you have a choice when you don't." He threw his hands up. "And I'll be damned if I'm going to watch you push too hard and put yourself and our kid in danger."

Reagan refused to give in to the tears pricking behind her eyelids. Stupid hormones turned everything into emotional drama. The one thing she hated about being pregnant.

She could do crazy drama without hormones.

Ian broke into her internal monologue. "Look, Reagan. I'll make this simple. I love you and our kid more than I want to be a champion." He moved forward and cupped her face.

Reagan went from blubbery sad to red-hot pissed off in less than a millisecond. "Now who's being stupid, Ian?" She pushed him away. "You're at the top. You can't walk away now." Why the hell would he want to?

Oh, right. Her. And their unborn kid. Dammit.

Ian quirked a brow. "Oh, yeah? Watch me." He went to find his phone.

She had to stop him. If he called and canceled his next bout, he'd never forgive her. Hell, she wouldn't forgive herself.

She grabbed his arm. "If you quit now, we're done. I'll leave you." What? Sometimes she hated the way her brain worked.

Ian closed his eyes but not before she caught the flash of anger and rage in his gaze.

He yanked away from her. "No, you won't." He grabbed his phone and keys. "Because I am." Taking the five steps to the door, he slammed it shut behind him.

Reagan carefully walked to the sofa and sank down. "Stupid fucking hormones." But she couldn't blame everything on her body's chemistry.

Being told she couldn't do something never sat well with her. Yes, she balked at being left behind. Hated the horrible timing of everything. But she didn't want Ian to give up his chance to take the championship because her insecurities wouldn't take a back seat at the moment.

Closing her eyes, she massaged her stomach. "I really, really hope you're more like your dad, little person." An answering kick nudged against her fingers. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go find him." She got up and crossed the living room to retrieve her keycard and phone. "I have a feeling I know where he went."

I love writing small sexy peeks into what's going on after a couple has supposedly worked through their drama and settled into their happily ever after.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zero Sum

Man… the heat has been horrible this week. I hope everyone has a cool spot and is dealing with the high temperatures safely. Ugh… it's miserable. Watching the Irish Open, I truly wanted to be there. I mean they were wearing sweaters and jackets. I could go for that right now. And, yeah, everyone needs to remind me when I'm griping about how cold it is in May next year to shut up and deal. LOL

Slow week for television viewing. I had a full slate of work and needed to focus so I didn't get as many shows watched.

I did catch another episode of Daredevil. I missed watching one last week. Not a bad episode but too much Fisk for my liking.

Krypton had a great episode. I'm in deep and want to know what happens next. I'm honestly not sure if I care whether Lyta is redeemed or not but I do want to see her reaction to the reprogramming.

Watched another episode of Painkiller Jane and the pieces started to fall into place. Only about three or four more episodes left of this show.

Last but not least, I caught another episode of Durham County. Man, Michelle Forbes can really play the barely hanging on by a thread character better than a lot of actors. She's scary good at those roles.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Zero Sum, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sabrina Delft and Carrick Stafford have a zero sum relationship—whenever one gains something, the other has a corresponding loss. But when they're stranded on an abandoned mining colony and forced to rely on each other, they learn to balance the good with the bad and end up with a total win.

And a sneaky peek…

Carrick put his feet through the legs of the suit and glanced up to find Sabrina frowning with her arms crossed over her chest. "What? What now?" Just once, he'd like to have a plan she didn't question.

Sabrina shook her head. "I should go. I'm smaller and won't use as much of the O2." She planted her hands on her hips. "As you pointed out, we don't know if there's breathable air out there or what condition the outpost is in." She made a "gimme" motion for the suit.

Carrick didn't relent right away. "You have a point, but what if you can't get in? Brute force might be necessary." No way would he tell her the idea of her going alone didn't sit well with him.

She'd laugh her ass off.

Sabrina pursed her lips. "Look, if I can't get in, we'll have to risk you going back alone.  But it's smarter to send me first." She turned and gathered up a few tools, including a pair of metal cutters. "If there's any kind of lock, this should get through it, but I kind of doubt they even bothered." Facing him again, she quirked an eyebrow.

He handed the suit over. "Fine. I'll do some diagnostic work in the cockpit. Radio as soon as you're in and give me a sitrep." He assisted putting the oxygen pack on her back. "I mean it. If you don't contact me within thirty minutes, I'm coming for you, breathable air or not." After half an hour, she'd be down to half her supply.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Can I go now?" She put the helmet on and plugged in the tubing from her pack.

He gave a nod and grabbed a comm headset. "Thirty minutes." Following her to the airlock, he pressed the release so she could hit the outer hatch.

An orange glow filled the small area when Sabrina stepped outside. Sunrise? Sunset? Hard to tell until they got their bearings. She pushed forward then gave a thumbs-up.

Once the hatch closed behind her, she checked comms. "Break one, check one." Her voice came through on a burst of static.

Atmospheric interference, but minimal. Not a bad sign.

Carrick responded with a quick reply. "Check. Mark." Her thirty-minute countdown began.

Carrick backed away from the airlock. Watching her wouldn't get the diagnostic work started. And Sabrina wouldn't appreciate the concern niggling along his spine.

Not that he'd ever admit to having any.

At least not out loud.

This story is still in its beginning stages but the outline is complete with additional brainstorming added in. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zen State

Whew. What a week. The weather has been all over the map with storms moving through my state. In our small town, a tree fell on a house in the back end of town, where I happen to live, and we lost power for a few hours. Honestly, not bad all things considered.

A so-so week in television viewing. I got a few more episodes of Blue Heelers in and still really enjoy this Aussie drama.

Also caught Midsomer Murders and quite enjoyed the episode centered on a school's history.

Watched two episodes each of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I've started the second doctor's arc with the animated Dalek episodes.

Caught another episode of In the Dark and enjoyed it. I'm actually quite thrilled with where the show is right now.

Watched an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and liked how the show played out.

Riverdale never fails to go in directions that blow my mind. Watching Archie implode is painful but also riveting. I'm also enjoying Betty's conversations with her dad. I'm still wondering when Alice will get her brain back.

The Lost Canary episode of Arrow proved very entertaining. I'm so, so, so going to miss this show when it's gone.

Caught another episode of Classic Roswell. The introduction of Tess still underwhelms me.

Caught a holiday-themed movie on Pluto TV and enjoyed it. It was hot and sticky outside and viewing a Christmas movie definitely cooled things down a little.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zen State, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Rue Chambers and Blaise Watkinson have secret fantasies about each other all the time, but don't act on them. At least not until both are trying to achieve a zen state by self-pleasuring and end up in the same place at the same time.

And a sneaky peek…

Blaise took the shortcut from the command center down to crew quarters. "Better check on Chambers, see if she's okay to get some sleep or not." He entered the corridor and made his way to the mess hall.

He ducked inside but didn't see Rue. He started to exit but bumped into another officer on her way in.

Grabbing her elbow, he helped keep her upright. "Damn, Blume…er, Joanna. Sorry about that." He stepped back, giving her room to get past him. "Hey… have you seen Rue? Lieutenant Chambers?" Moving to the side of the door, he quirked an eyebrow.

Joanna shook her head. "Not since morning briefing, but I've been in training all day." She cocked her head to one side. "Why? Is everything okay?"

Joanna and Rue were friendly rivals. They ribbed each other but also did a lot of hanging out together. Blaise weighed giving her a brief rundown.

He propped his shoulder on the bulkhead. "She mentioned having a tough time getting to sleep last night. Have you noticed her having trouble?" Might as well dig a little deeper to make sure he wouldn't have a problem pilot.

Joanna's eyes widened. "Uh, no. She hasn't mentioned anything either."

Blaise frowned. "Okay, thanks. I'll check the rec room, then quarters. Thanks." He headed toward the recreation area but didn't find Rue after a quick peek inside.

Making his way to the crew quarters, he entered and found Rue standing in front of her locker. Her hair dripped from a recent shower and she had underwear with nothing else. Geez… he shouldn't stare, but his brain definitely didn't get the message. His eyes feasted on the gorgeous woman with curves and muscles and so much skin.

She pulled her arm out of the metal storage unit. "Success!" A gray sports bra dangled from her fingers. "Knew I had another one in there." She glanced up and blinked in surprise. "Uh, Captain. What brings you to my little corner of the universe?" She quickly donned the bra then grabbed a towel to dry her hair.

Blaise recovered his faculties. "Wanted to make sure you're doing okay. No coffee after shift tonight?" Now that he'd come down, he questioned his sanity.

Would he do the same for any other pilot?

Probably. But Rue lit something in him… his curiosity for certain, but also something else. Which he would not examine too closely right now.

Rue looked confused for a moment but then she flashed a grin. "Nope. No coffee with grub. I ate, grabbed a shower, and here I am, ready for bed." She stopped and grabbed her clothes. "Okay, almost ready for bed." Flinging the towel over the door, she made short work of getting into a pair of shorts and a tank top.

Blaise nodded. "Good to hear. Sorry for the intrusion. Just wanted to check in." He started toward the exit.

Rue laughed lightly. "What? No bedtime story? I'm disappointed." She settled on the side of her bunk.

Blaise couldn't resist a little bantering. "I only know scary nightmare tales and we want you to sleep not toss and turn all night." He braced his shoulders on the bulkhead.

Rue swung her feet up into the bunk area and shook her head. "You're the worst, sir. Getting my hopes up then dashing them to stardust." She folded her arms over her chest and gave him a mock pout.

Blaise laughed. He liked seeing the playful side of her.

Pushing away from the bulkhead. "Sorry about that, Chambers. I'll wish you happy dreams instead." Turning, he ducked out the door.

Rue's voice followed him. "For the record… I love scary stories!"

Blaise chuckled.

He really liked her sass.

This is a fun little foray into what I hope ends up being a sexy little glimpse into what if. So far, I'm pretty pleased with how it's going.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yummy Goodness

I'm always blown away when July arrives and I realize half the year is really gone. The whole time speeds up when we get older thing is absolutely a thing.

Fairly busy week but stayed caught up with most of the shows I'm watching. Started out with In the Dark and watched two episodes. My heart kind of breaks for everyone on this show. And, again, I keep going back to how messy everything is. The episode with Murphy and Max on the run truly ended on a cliffhanger. Need to watch another episode soon.

                   

Caught an episode of Blade, the penultimate one. This series was ahead of its time and I wish it had the chance to realize its full potential.

Also caught the season finale of Chicago Fire, which ended on a cliffhanger. I literally had to call my dad—a retired fire chief and still active in our local department—to decompress. He's also a fan.

Watched another Classic Roswell episode. This one started moving the plot forward and tightening the bonds between the group. That means it's almost time for a wedge to show up and pull them all apart.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a great episode. I loved how the women pulled all the threads to solve their case and it's interesting to see Frankie end up with a new enemy. Lots of fodder for future episodes.

Once again, Riverdale pulled out all the super batshit crazy it could find. I do love, love, love that FP is now the new sheriff. I'm dying to know what Hermoine meant when she said it's finally time. There better be a payoff there. Alice makes my head spin with her insane loyalty to the farm creepies. I truly hope I end up enjoying that storyline because I have a feeling that shit isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Kind of sad Veronica practically ran back into the fold when Hiram got shot but it makes for good conversation. Almost fell out of my seat when Tallboy arrived back on my screen. Can't say I'm upset he didn't stick around.

Watched an episode of Arrow and, wow, quite a few revelations. Having Emiko be the leader of the dark knights is just the kind of twist I like. Kind of sad she's pushing Laurel back toward her dark persona. That'll be interesting to see next week.

Caught another episode of Blue Heelers and can't say I liked the creepy dude they had to bring in to nab the home invaders. Kind of glad Doyle sent him packing and didn't fall for his creeptastic come-on lines. Geez. Also started a new episode but only got the first few minutes watched.

Krypton had a great episode. Glad Seg is free of Brainiac, or at least I hope he is. I love how twisty this show is right now. It's very hard to tell who is playing against who and I like that. Never knowing which direction a character will turn is fun.

I'm almost finished with Painkiller Jane. The standard groundhog day episode ended up being better than I remembered. I don't always love those kind of episodes.

Watched the season two premiere of Durham County and, yeah, this show is still dark and twisted. I love it.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Yummy Goodness, a free sexy short featuring characters from Mia's Choice.

The mini-blurb is still a work in progress…

But here's a sneaky peek…

Mia Sinclair rubbed her forehead, hoping to ease the headache behind her eyes. "How long before you get here, Hal?" Only hours away now, but not soon enough.

From the garbled sounds, Hal shuffled the handset. "Looks like two point five hours." His voice dropped a little. "You'll have real food again as soon as the teams get the supplies unloaded from the ship's hull."

Mia closed her eyes. "Sounds lovely." Four weeks with nothing more than protein bars and powder mixed with the limited amount of growable vegetables made her want to groan. "At least we know the station crew can pull together and get creative." Although their efforts didn't amount to much.

Hal chuckled. "Not sure you're gonna be happy to see me or the food." He paused. "I mean, come on, the protein bars aren't that bad, are they?"

Mia rolled her eyes. Of course Hal didn't know how horrible those things were. The military rations were ready-to-eat food packs. Maybe not the tastiest things in the galaxy but way more appealing than bland, no-flavor, only-there-to-sustain-life emergency bleh.

Maybe Hal needed to find out how horrible the last four weeks had been?

Mia laughed lightly. "Oh, you know. We managed. Just need a break from the same old thing." She lowered her voice this time. "And you know I'm always happy to see you, Hal. We'll be undressed and between the sheets before your ship's engines are even fully shut down." At least they had been the last three times Hal had been on station.

Hal groaned. "Now I'm the one who wants time to speed up. I've missed you, Mia."

She smiled. "Missed you too. Not much longer until we can be together for good." She actually couldn't wait.

And if anyone other than her inner voice had told her she'd be ready to settle down with a man again, she'd have laughed them out of the room. But Hal made loving someone easy, unlike her first husband, Fredric the dick. However… being in love with Hal didn't mean she couldn't prove a point, right?

Hal sighed. "I have to sign off, Mia. We're entering the no-call zone."

Her lips twitched. "Okay. I'd forgotten about that. We're still working on getting those relays positioned, hopefully by your next run out here." Interference from the asteroid belt around the station made the final leg of the journey radio silent.

Hal said his farewell. "I love you, Mia. Be there in two point two five hours."

Mia responded. "I'll see you soon, my love." After replacing the handset, she picked it up again and placed a quick call to the galley. "Hi, Chiane. I need a favor…"

Hal could have a not-so-wonderful taste of the yummy goodness Mia had been experiencing for the past month.

I'm hoping to have this one ready to go by the time I finish up Mia's Choice. There's another sexy short featuring Hal and Mia that I'd like to get ready for a release day blast.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: You're Welcome

June kind of flew by in a rainy, chilly, dreary kind of way. I'm kind of looking forward to July. Not the heat so much, because it did finally get hot, but mainly in a new month clean slate deal.

Not a bad week for television. I'm staying somewhat caught up on everything. Started out with an episode of In the Dark and I'm happy Murphy and Dean are on speaking terms again. I also love how much Max messes up with her.

Watched another episode of Classic Roswell and enjoyed it a lot. I'd forgotten Michael became an emancipated minor in the first season. For some reason, I thought that happened later.

Caught Frankie Drake Mysteries and loved this one. I thoroughly enjoy seeing historical characters woven into the storyline. I also still want the detective and Mary to hookup but have a feeling Frankie is in his sights. Bummer.

Man… Riverdale truly embraces the batshit crazy. And I love it. I still want Hiram to go down hard. And Alice… oh, Alice. What the hell happened to you? I guess I better keep watching to find out.

Watched an episode of Arrow and it's one I've been looking forward to. I enjoy the future flashes almost as much as I loved the flashbacks. How awesome is having Nyssa train Mia? Seriously.

Caught the next episode of Krypton and didn't really see Brainiac possessing Seb coming. A cool twist though. I'm also quite enjoying having the multiple storylines unfold. So glad to see Lyta's mom back on the screen.

Painkiller Jane had a solid episode even for a clip show. Series television doesn't do those much anymore, which isn't a bad thing, but when they're done well, it's fun to watch.

Watched another episode of Durham County, the first season finale, and wow. Kudos to the actor who portrays Ray Prager, Sr. Watching him unravel was seriously compelling. I'm so curious about the actual… original… serial killer though. Maybe that line will be picked up again?

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and I'm still enjoying this one.

Also watched the next episode of Midsomer Murders, which ended up being terrific. The mix of themes with Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty worked out better than expected.

Got two more episodes of Peter Gunn in and also two more of Classic Who. Not a bad way to round out the week.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from You're Welcome, which is probably going to be a working title for this sexy short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Dalyn Harris spends a lot of his time keeping his significant other, Shauna Drake, out of hack. When an old, forgotten prank catches the executive officer by surprise, Dalyn scrambles to keep Shauna's part under wraps—he has no desire to spend their anniversary in a brig cell.

And a sneaky peek…

Shauna Drake tested the lever holding the shelf in place. "That oughtta do it." She stepped down the ladder and grabbed the can of paint mixed with a generous amount of water.

"That's a really bad idea."

Shauna jumped and almost spilled the contents of the bucket before whipping around to face Dalyn Harris. "Geez… a little warning next time. You scared the hell out of me." So much for being alone.

Dalyn quirked an eyebrow. "Which is exactly why you should rethink this terrible plan." He held the ladder steady while she climbed back up.

Shauna shot him a sideways glance. "Why would I do that?" She placed the bucket on the shelf then carefully backed down the ladder.

Dalyn frowned. "Because the practical jokes are getting out of hand. You know the next person caught is gonna end up in hack." He moved aside so she could carefully fold up the ladder and put it inside the storage locker.

Shauna eased the door closed. "That's the beauty of this one. Nobody comes down here. It'll be ages before my little surprise is discovered." She dusted off her hands then faced Dalyn again, narrowing her eyes. "Why are you down here?" Hoping he'd specifically come for her, she placed a palm on his chest.

They'd been dancing around each other for almost six months. She wanted to see what happened at the next level. Their friendship proved to be rock solid, something she needed in a potential significant other.

He grasped her hand. "Two reasons." He tugged her closer. "Number one… my gut instinct said you were up to no good." His arms went around her waist.

Shauna grinned. "So you had to come down here? How did you know you'd find me?" She had a good idea but wanted to see what he'd say.

Dalyn chuckled. "Oh, I have my ways." He lightly bumped his forehead against hers.

Shauna smirked. "Hmmm. I see. Should I be worried about these mysterious ways?" She loved the playful side of their relationship.

Dalyn lifted a shoulder. "Worried, no. Because when I know what you're up to I can keep you out of the brig and off the XO's report." Pretty much what he always did.

Considering it brought them together, she wouldn't give him any grief.

Shauna gave a slow nod. "Okay… what's the second reason?"

Dalyn's lips curved in a sexy grin. "Wanted to make sure we're still on for dinner later?" His hands grasped her hips, tugging her a little closer.

Shauna tilted her head to one side. "Definitely. And after dinner? Do we have plans?" God, she hoped so.

The wait and anticipation were at peak limitations.

Dalyn brought his palms up and cupped her face. "We absolutely do. Don't expect to see the inside of your rack until first bells." His mouth caught hers in a hot, steamy kiss.

Shauna's toes curled and she melted against him.

The next three hours couldn't go by fast enough.

Shauna is a fun character and Dalyn gives her just enough room to be who she is without tromping all over her. I like writing that kind of couple dynamic.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yellow Fang

It's been a crazy week. Our county had severe flash flooding in the far eastern end and many of the people affected are still trying to dry out. Then there was a terrible barn fire that took three teenagers, most a little younger than my daughter. And to top it off, a beloved coach and teacher lost his battle with cancer. So… yeah. Rough and crazy week. Also… it can quit raining whenever it wants to.

A little light on television fare, but I did get some shows watched. Caught an episode of Durham County and, honestly, it's insane how dark this show goes. Not in a bad way either. But it's super-twisted and seriously messy. I can't wait to see how Ray Prager, Sr. tries to keep the upper hand he gained this week. I also can't wait to see him go down really hard. Please make that happen.

Midsomer Murders had a great episode featuring astronomy. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and figuring out the why and how.

Watched two more episodes each of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I'm nearing the end of the first doctor's tenure and should be starting Two's in the near future.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and enjoyed it. I like the episode the first time around because it opened up some questions about whether all neuros really needed to be chipped. I think this show was a little ahead of its time.

Blade had a decent episode where Krista needed to detox and Blade had to find a serial killer vampire. Not a bad hour's worth or so of entertainment.

Started another episode of Blue Heelers. I'm still enjoying this Aussie drama.

Watched another episode of Banshee. It took me three days to get through the entire episode due to several interruptions and a number of work deadlines. But I loved this one from the original watch and didn't want to miss anything.

Caught Chicago Fire penultimate episode of season seven. Excellent showing. I kind of love where all the characters are right now… which means they'll all be upended in the finale. LOL

Started Daredevil's third episode of season three. I'm really liking this final season. I'm so disappointed with all the consolidation and shifting of assets and how it affects terrific television. I'm not a huge Disney fan because they keep snapping everything up.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Yellow Fang, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Yancy the Yellow is Palmer Gump's only childhood friend—a stuffed toy from her dad. Missing and presumed killed in action, an auction is held for Palmer's personal items. When she returns, she gets everything back… except for Yancy, which leaves her feeling a little lost and unsettled, until it finds its way back to her via Dannon Bennett.

And a sneaky peek…

Dannon couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that gnawed at his gut. He had to take one last stab at getting Palmer to change her mind about the mission. Every instinct screamed this would turn into a shithole situation.

He entered the ready room. Made a silent promise to stay calm. Settled into the seat beside her.

He grasped her hand. "Palmer, you're not ready. I'm not trying to be a dick when I say that either." When she tugged her palm free, he didn't try to get it back.

She challenged him. "Would you say the same if we weren't sleeping together?" Her voice stayed low but had a hard edge.

He took a moment to consider the truth. "I wouldn't order you to do this even if we weren't." But a small seed of doubt wormed its way into his tone.

He'd never tried to maintain a relationship with someone under his command. Doesn't matter. She's not ready. No one is.

Yet… he couldn't say why. He didn't have anything tangible he could take to their CO. And if he went in with nothing, Colonel McKara would assume the worst—that Dannon didn't want his bed warmer too far away.

And maybe he didn't.

Palmer rolled her eyes. "Bullshit." She got up and planted her hands on her hips. "And the colonel outranks you so you're trying to influence me to buck the order." She leaned in close to him. "Don't. Your dick doesn't make me jump through hoops like a magic wand." Straightening, she flicked her gaze to the incoming group for the briefing.

Dannon hissed out a breath and got to his feet. "You'll regret going out solo. Mark my words." He started for the back of the room.

Palmer called out. "That's not the only thing I regret. Sir." Her arms folded across her chest and the pointed stare and arched eyebrow left no doubt to what she meant.

Dannon tossed back a biting reply. "You and me both, Palmer. You and me both." He sat down, hard, in the first seat of the last row.

The gaze of every pair of eyes in the room pinged back and forth between Palmer and Dannon. Luckily, no one jumped into the heated space between the two. McKara entered the room and the taut moment snapped with everyone scrambling to get seats.

Dannon listened with half an ear. He couldn't be one hundred percent certain about anything.  He didn't doubt Palmer's skill. But he also couldn't shake the feeling the enemy waited for this opportunity. The chance to pick off one of the best soldiers in the unit.

No one's ready for solo recon. But the damage had been done.

Palmer pinned Dannon with her gaze when she addressed the room. "I'm looking forward to bringing back some great intel. No matter what anyone else thinks."

I'm actually excited to finish this one. I like where the story is going and need to fill in the blanks and get it finished up.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yelling in Vain

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, father figures, and mentors out there. The weather has been wet and chilly and, honestly, I'm okay with that. When it's ninety in October and I'm complaining… remind me how the temperatures were in June.

Not a bad week of television. Had some deadlines to meet so a little lighter than usual.

Caught Banshee's fourth episode and loved the interaction with Job and Hood. Also liked entire theft scene and Carrie's rescue of Lucas. Very cool visuals there.

I've watched about three more episodes of Blue Heelers and still enjoy the show. I'm a little frustrated with Roz and finding a job. First, she did the mobile beauty thing, which was terrific. Then, when she lost her license, she was offered a job with a cosmetics firm but turned it down to supposedly take a job in the city. When Wayne got shot, she decided to stick around and now she applied for the office staff job at the station. I'm aware that's how things work sometimes, but it's a little whiplashy for me.

Caught Chicago Fire and loved the episode. I've got two more left of season seven and I'm really excited to see where things go. I'm very interested in how the situation with Casey and Brett plays out.

Episode two of Daredevil delivered another solid viewing experience. Again, my favorite parts were with Karen and Foggy. But I enjoyed Matt's story a lot more this week.

Watched another classic Roswell episode. I'd forgotten how funny Max and Kyle were in the episode where Liz gets to go on a blind date with someone else. And I'd also forgotten how terrific Maria sounded when she finally got to sing.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a good episode. I'm glad Trudy is sticking around and I loved Mary and Flo's road trip. Also like the mystery this week.

Caught another episode of Riverdale. Gotta say Gladys might be even crazier than Hiram. And, honestly, I'm this close to being done with Hiram. The best part of the episode was Archie and Fred and FP and Jellybean and Jughead. Seriously, loved those scenes. I also loved, loved, loved Betty and Ethel teaming up to brig-break the creepy sisters' home.

Watched another episode of Arrow and, I'll say it again, I'm going to miss this show so much when it's gone. No one does flashbacks and flash forwards better than Arrowverse.

The premiere of Krypton's season two ended up being awesome. I missed this show! Colin Salmon truly seems to be relishing his role as Zod and he's quite good at being smarmy yet evil. I like that about his character. I'm so excited to see what else happens.

Also caught In the Dark. Man… talk about a crazy episode. It's seriously messed up when I'm rooting for the drug dealers to win the day, right? Yeah, I love this show. LOL

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Yelling in Vain, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After an accident that takes the life of a fellow cadet, Lora Seaves falls back on her combative attitude to keep it together. Jestin Warbly has to decide whether or not Lora is cracking up or okay to fly. He's got one big problem… a powerful attraction for the rookie pilot clouds his judgment.

And a sneaky peek…

Jestin Warbly completed a series of intricate movements in the shou dini discipline. He admired the friendly bipedal race's combination of martial arts and exercise that required intense focus. Paying attention to small details when sliding from one form to the next helped Jestin every day in his work with Earth Force Investigative Services.

The sharp ping from his comm center interrupted his final cool down. "Incoming conference from EFIS office. Are you available?"

Jestin paused, holding his position. "Answer incoming. No video." A quick beep sounded and Jestin replied, "Warbly, J. joining the conference." He released the static hold and shifted into the final stance of his workout.

"Warbly, Major Brant and Captain Collins here. We've got an assignment for you." Brant's voice boomed over the line.

Jestin exhaled slowly, finishing his routine before he let excitement kick in. "Yes, sir. When should I report for orders?" He could be ready in fifteen minutes.

Seven if they needed him right away.

Collins entered the conversation. "No need to report. You're the lead on this and we're forwarding the pertinent files to your archive."

Jestin fist-pumped the air. "I'm solo investigator?" He'd hoped to land an unsupervised investigation soon, especially since he'd graduated in the number one spot from the class of recruits.

Brant confirmed Jestin's status. "You are. You're on the fast track for promotion and you can't move up to lieutenant until you close your first unsupervised investigation." He paused a moment. "We'd like to see you get confirmed ASAP, depending on the outcome of this case."

The implied meaning he could be denied the promotion if his findings didn't match their desired result.

Jestin ignored a tinge of unease. "Anything I need to be aware of?" The pertinent details would be in the files, but he hoped to get a read on what his superior officers were looking for.

Collins gave a terse answer. "We want this done quick and clean. The subject, Lora Seaves, is a pilot cadet and word is she's brash and abrasive. Not much for team playing either." His opinion came through loud and clear.

Brant added another piece of information. "She's also got a bad attitude so keep that in mind when you're doing your interview. The files have been transferred to your archive. You can get started as soon as you've reviewed them. We want you to get to the bottom of things right away."

I really like how this one is coming together. Jestin and Lora definitely start out on opposite sides but they'll end up working together to solve the problem of Lora's grounding.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye