Hot summer scenes

I thought it would be fun to share an excerpt from Grading on Curves, a perfect summer read. In this scene, Mia and Curt have just returned from a long bike ride. It's been years since she's ridden and she's out of practice with more than simply bicycling.

Enjoy.


 Mia hit the garage door opener and they walked their bikes into the garage and stood them against the shelves. She closed the door behind them.

   “I’m so tired,” Mia confessed with a ragged gasp. She could barely force herself to take another step.

   “I expected that. Just be glad you don’t smoke.” He gave her a second look. “You don’t, do you?”

   “No.” She panted her answer and stumbled into the kitchen where she dropped forward at the waist and grabbed her knees to keep from falling on her face.

   Curt gave her a sympathetic smile and went into the upper cabinet for two glasses, filling them with cold water. He held one out to her and she brought herself back up slowly, accepting it with a grateful, “Thanks.” Leaning back against the counter, she emptied it.

   “Water will help keep your muscles from cramping,” Curt explained.

   “I can’t believe it,” she said in amazement. “You don’t look like you broke a sweat.”

   “I’m warm.”

   “Yeah, but I need a shower.” She peeled her shirt away from her sternum and shuddered at how clammy it felt.

   “Well, go and take one.”

   “Do you need the bathroom first?”

   “Give me a second.” He left his empty glass on the counter and Mia set hers next to it.

   She went to her room to get a change of clothes and could hear the toilet seat drop and the inevitable flush through the wall. The faucet came on as she shoved her dresser drawer closed.
The bathroom door opened and Curt came to a stop just outside her bedroom, silently watching her. He didn’t invade her space and she appreciated that, but he was reminding her that he was there.

   Suddenly very conscious of that fact herself, she realized she was about to strip naked
with Curt in her house—and they were very alone.

   It wasn’t easy brushing past him on her way to the bathroom. Maybe that was the reason she did something completely unexpected and out of character. Mia left the door partially open behind her. Curt paused on his way by, perhaps afraid to misinterpret her meaning, but when they made eye contact in the mirror, she gave him a hesitant smile then a slight nod. It was a subtle invitation and Curt slowly pushed the door open and walked in.

Grading on Curves

One-on-one instruction never felt so right—or so wrong.

There’s nothing unusual about Mia Page’s attraction to the young science teacher at the middle school. After all, she’s not the only one who finds him enticing. But when he pulls her son aside to ask for her phone number, she knows she’s in serious trouble. Since her divorce four years earlier, she’s been out of circulation, choosing to focus on parenting instead, and she’s not entirely sure she can handle an entanglement with the sexy Mr. Walden.

There are also other reasons why getting involved with Curt would be a bad idea. He’s two years shy of thirty, and she’s on the downside of that unmentionable number. He’s adamant about never having kids, and she has a son. Even the guy’s romantic gifts are suspect. Energy saving light bulbs? He has to be kidding.

On the other hand, he’s fun, sweet, and smart. He stimulates her intellectually, emotionally, and Lord help her, physically, opening her eyes to life outside her comfortable world. Yet their differences quietly gnaw at Mia even while she succumbs to their undeniable chemistry.

As their romance deepens, so do Mia’s fears that Curt will eventually hurt her. On edge, all it takes is an innocent comment to provoke her into drawing first blood. Mia recklessly wounds Curt, learning only too late that this blade cuts both ways. Frantic to make amends, she fears it might be too late to admit the feelings she’s tried so hard to suppress.

Available at Beachwalk Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AU, All Romance eBooks, Bookstrand, Barnes & Noble, Coffee Time Romance, and WHSmith/UK.

What would you do?

I thought it would be fun to share an excerpt from Sexual Politics. 

Is the scandal worth it? Only she can answer that.

For two years Justine Hubbard has played the supportive wife role for her husband in public...and nowhere else. Senator Gary Hubbard’s philandering ended her love for him. But sometimes there are reasons people decide to maintain the illusion of a happy marriage when the relationship is over.

Living a lie until after the election wasn’t an issue—until she met Sean O’Donnell. She can’t fool the perceptive photographer. He understands her. He wants her. After feeling invisible to her husband, that’s an intoxicating discovery. But having condemned her husband for his hushed affairs, it would be hypocritical to give in to her desire for Sean.

All it would take is a whisper of scandal for her husband’s political enemies to bring him down. She wouldn’t dream of sacrificing Gary’s career, their causes, and her own good name. But how can she stay away from Sean now that she’s fallen for him? 

Excerpt:

Continuing on to her favorite exhibit, Justine suddenly wished she’d kept her mouth shut earlier. All the things she admired so much about these pieces—the exquisite details, the muscle tone and graceful contours, various facial expressions, and the dramatic poses—was lost in a haze of embarrassment as she stared over and over again at the idealized human form. It didn’t matter that she was in her late thirties and knew the anatomical secrets of men. Like an overly curious pre-teen, she was drawn to every marble penis, every solid scrotum. Where was her self-control? She couldn’t stop herself from looking, though her innate good taste made her shy away just as quickly. Her hormones and head were in a strange, indecent tug-of-war.

“Like a frightened turtle,” murmured Sean out of the blue.

Snickering in surprise, Justine muffled her laugh and nodded in agreement before fleeing past some of her favorite pieces without giving them the consideration they deserved. Sean was forced to follow. Spotting a water fountain in the corridor beyond, she headed for it. He caught up with her as she bent for a much needed drink.

Blotting her lips with her hand afterward, she straightened and turned on him, stifling her giggles. “You’re wicked.”

He chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “Someone had to say it.”

“Was I so obvious?” she asked, cringing with shame, she still needed to know.

He shook with muted laughter. “You seemed…fixated in there.”

She covered her face with both hands and gave a painful groan, though she was smiling. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“Been a while, has it?”

She dropped her hands and sighed. “Just between us?” 

“Of course.”

“Too long,” she confessed.

“I suspected as much.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “There is a remedy, you know.”

“Not for me.”

He studied her silently for an uncomfortable beat before he finally nodded. “I see.”

Frowning, she looked around and noticed the quiet alcove housing ancient pottery behind her. She backed into it and waved impatiently for him to join her. Hands on her hips, she stood up to him. “I see what you’re thinking, but I’m married. It might not be the most satisfying or…” She looked around to be sure she wasn’t overheard and dropped her voice. “...ideal arrangement, but that doesn’t mean I can simply ignore my vows. It would be hypocritical to condemn Gary for his indiscretions then do the same thing myself.”

“I’m not suggesting you cheat on him. I’m suggesting you leave him. Leave him, Justine. You deserve better. You deserve more.”

She stared into Sean’s eyes and wished it was that simple. If it was, she’d go up on her toes right now and kiss those dusky lips of his. She’d hold him close and bury her nose in his collar. She was barely surviving on the occasional whiffs of his aftershave as it is. Like it or not, Sean drew her like every penis she just stared at in the last gallery.

He has one of those too.

Slamming her mental door on that unhelpful reminder, she sagged against the bare wall at her back and helplessly threw up her hands. “I know, but this isn’t a good time to leave.”

“Is it ever?”

“I can’t right now. Not until after the election in November. The race is too close. It would weaken him.”

There was an angry tick in Sean’s cheek she’d never noticed before. “He’s weakened himself.”

“But Gary’s still the best candidate.”

Sean laughed in disgust and shook his head. “Doesn’t that just paint a glorious picture of American politics? It always comes down to the lesser of two evils.”

Depressed, she stared at the toes of her shoes, wishing it wasn’t so. Sean startled her by moving closer and taking her hand. He held it, his thumb making patient circles over the top. Raising her gaze to his, she found a man equally sad and disillusioned looking back at her.

Available NOW on Beachwalk Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Au, All Romance, and Barnes & Noble. 

No Excuses

I blew it recently. I was supposed to share an excerpt for Tantalizing Tuesday and completely lost track. Summers are crazy busy for me, still, it would help if I got up to my desk to read my notes -- not to mention checked my emails on a daily basis so I'd see my calendar reminders. I'll try to do better. Promise.

However, there is a silver lining to my oops. It made my choice of what to share a lot easier once I dreamed up the name for this blog post. No Excuses. The Nike catchphrase automatically suggested fitness. Voila! I had my scene. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Wes and Lauren at the gym. Let me set this up. They've just come from an impromptu stroll in the city park where Lauren vented her anger and frustration to him. Wes suggests a safe outlet for her aggression. Neither has fessed up to their attraction yet. It's still simmering between them.

  “Hold out your hand,” he directed, standing in front of her.

Lauren gave him her right and stared like a hypnotized idiot at his sculpted chest, his lean ribs, and his firm abs while he hooked a loop over her thumb and proceeded to wrap her wrist and knuckles.

She finally looked down at what he was doing and asked, “What’s with the tape? I thought I was going to wear gloves.”

“You’ll need both.”

“Oh.”

He secured it with Velcro then looked at her expectantly. She handed him her left next and he went to work, wrapping that one too.

Squatting down for a second, he picked up the gloves and held them out for her. She fought her hands inside and he snugged up the closures around her wrists.

“How does it feel?” he asked.

“How’s it supposed to feel?”

“No pinching? Can you make a fist?”

“It’s good.”

“Then you’re all set. Come on.” He brought her over to the bag.

Wes took up a position in front of the bag and directed Lauren’s attention to his feet which, he pointed out, were shoulder-width apart.

Mmm, so they are.

“Are you paying attention?” he asked.

Lauren jumped, ripping her eyes away from his amazing shoulders.

“Yes,” she said with a blush.

“Don’t lock your knees. Are you right or left handed?”

“Right.”

“Okay, so you’re going to want your left foot forward and your right foot back, toe somewhere between twelve and two. See?”

“Yes.”

“Another thing, don’t plant your right heel.”

She looked and nodded.

“Keep your hips right under your shoulders and don’t lean. Your body should be one solid unit.” He moved aside and waved her forward. “Reach out with your arm.”

She raised her glove and he moved her closer to the bag.

“Good, you don’t want to overextend. Balance is important.”

Lauren’s body temperature climbed several degrees once he started positioning her. His hands followed her legs and took hold of her feet, turning them out. When he caught her at the hips she nearly melted, but thankfully he didn’t seem aware. By the time he released her shoulders she was almost dizzy, but he wasn’t finished yet. Wes stepped directly behind her, his solid body pressed right up against hers, and his arms came around her as he took hold of her wrists to demonstrate how to throw a punch. At that point, she didn’t care if she ever threw a punch, she did not want this moment to end.

But they did punch and jab as one being until he felt confident she understood how to strike without injuring herself. Then he walked around to the other side and took hold of the bag, facing her. His smile was like a narcotic—tough to overcome once hooked.

“Center of the bag, Lauren. Hands tight, wrists strong.”

Her first two hits careened off the sides, and she blushed because she wasn’t concentrating. Not that she was going to explain herself. It was hard enough having to ignore how intently he was watching her without admitting he was unraveling her.

“Come on, focus,” he said.

Easier said than done, but somehow she managed it and he cheered her on. “Give me more.”

Give him more? The man didn’t know what he was asking. She laughed and struck again, and again, and again, using her sexual frustration, her close proximity to the man of her dreams, and her long standing cowardice to pummel the innocent bag.


Available in eBook and paperback. Buy it now from Beachwalk Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AU, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Bookstrand, Coffee Time Romance Bookstore, Books A Million, BookU, Exclusives,
Waterstones (UK), WHSmith (UK), and Kobo.

***Wait, wait, wait, wait. ***

Before I head out of here, I wanted to share the news. Beachwalk has dropped the prices on a bunch of titles and three of my full novels have gone from $5.50 to $4.99! 
Have a wonderful and romantic weekend. Be sure to put a Beachwalk title in your bag.

Teaser from Caution: Filling is Hot

I thought it would be fun to post a teaser from Caution: Filling is Hot. Enjoy.

   Piper smiled. “That’s awesome. You’re going to feel right at home, but if you’re new to cooking, no worries, you’re in for a real treat. Tonight we’re going to make muffins and you’re going to see just how easy cooking can be. But here’s the most important rule, you should never cook without an adult around, okay?”

   Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, Piper turned and saw that Hot Stuff was back. He shifted on his stool to see around the woman in front of him and that was it. Their eyes locked and every thought in her head left on a coffee break without a backward shrug. Wonderful.

   Then he abruptly broke their connection, releasing Piper because, because there was a small girl tugging on his sleeve? No way. Yes, apparently, way. The girl cupped her mouth and whispered in his ear. He nodded back and was right in the middle of his reply when they both vanished, blocked by a woman with a spectacular perm seated in front of them.

   Piper gave herself a mental head slap. How did she manage to miss Mr. Marvelous on her way in? Wait a second, hold it. What was she doing? Duh! Class. Teaching. Focus.

   The delay cost her. Half a heartbeat later he leaned back into the aisle, located Piper, and reclaimed her attention. Caught like a fish on his hook, she tried to fight herself free without success. Not until he gave her a slow, intimate smile did she manage it, the annoyance that smile provoked finally snapping his line.

   Wrenching her eyes away, Piper skidded over the other heretofore unnoticed child at his table. Appalled by her lousy powers of observation, her face warmed another five degrees. She was out of control. Seriously out of control. It was intolerable. She wasn’t going to put up with this.

   So what if he’d brought along a pint-sized entourage? It didn’t change the fact she was there to do a job. Still, she couldn’t tamp down her resentment. The jerk was toast. Burnt toast! She should have known things would crap out tonight as soon as she broke the jar of applesauce. Talk about your bad omens.

   She needed to get a grip, take back the reins, and run the guy down. Mmm, not a bad fantasy actually. She wasn’t going to lose this power struggle. No way. Piper regulated her breathing and took a second to stretch her arms toward the floor, tightening her muscles and extending her fingers until even the skin burned. Only then did she trust herself to speak.
   
   With a stiff smile for her staring class, Piper returned to the job at hand. “Normally I’d simply demonstrate for you, but tonight we’re going to do something different. You’ll be working in teams and everyone will have a chance to participate. Now, I’d like someone from each station to come up and get the supplies you’ll need.”

   A murmur of voices filled the room and then each group dispatched someone to the counter to collect their boxes of ingredients.

   She tried to ignore her personal pest when he stood to come forward, but a nasty impulse took over when he got up there and Piper couldn’t help sneering, “What did you do? Rent a couple of kids for the night?”

   He turned, his eyes dancing with amusement, and smiled. “No, they’re mine.”

   Piper’s eyebrows scrambled up her forehead. Why did that news throw her? She stared after him as he walked back to his children, and then she did yet another unthinkable thing—she checked out his ass. Great idea! Why not just add an erratic heart rate to go with everything else?


Available now at Beachwalk Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Au, and Barnes & Noble, All Romance, and Bookstrand.

Oh shoot. I forgot to remind you, the Caution: Filling is Hot blog tour is still going on. Here are the stops from this week. If you haven't already visited and entered the drawing, please do. 

3/24 - The Avid Reader
           Sapphyria's Steamy Book Reviews
3/26 -  Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
3/27 – Owltastic Promotions
3/28 -  Snarky Mom Reads (Review)
3/30 -  Ella Jade
 4/1 -   Reviews By Molly (Review)
           BookwormBridgette’s World (Review)
  4/2 -  In The Pages of a Good Book
           The  eBook Promotions
  4/3 -  Viari Rose

Tantalizing Tuesday - Falling In Danger by Kaylie Newell

Welcome back to Tantaling Tuesday! Today Kaylie Newell is sharing with us a spicy scene from Falling In Danger from Beachwalk Press.

*40% of the publisher's proceeds from this book will be donated to The Pixie Project, a non-profit organization that provides adoption services with animals. www.pixieproject.org.*

****

Peeling off her clothes, Jessica stepped into the warm torrents of water and tilted her head back until her hair was soaked. She closed her eyes and leaned against the tiled wall, forgetting for a moment where she was and letting the shower lull her into a kind of stupor. Slowly, the tension in her exhausted muscles began to ease. The water ran from her shoulders, over her breasts, and down her belly in hot little streams, whose miniature currents twisted and turned from the texture of her skin.

She must have fallen asleep, at least for a minute, because when the bathroom door opened, she didn't hear it.

"Hey."

She jumped and nearly hit her head on the showerhead. Fitz stood outside the frosted door, holding a towel and averting his gaze.

"Oh my God," she panted, trying to cover her chest and other unmentionables.

"I knocked. You didn't answer," he said matter-of-factly. "Here's your towel." Setting it down on the counter, he didn't make any move to leave. Instead, he stood there, head down, large shoulders hunched, his hand resting on the white terry cloth fabric.

She stayed absolutely still, the water pouring over her body and pooling at her feet before disappearing down the drain. Her heart quickened as she took him in. But not for all the logical reasons it should have. She should have been panicking. After all, she was completely naked. Completely exposed. And he was a deviant. A low life. He kept company with thugs. But it was as if something in her brain had clicked off. All she could wrap her thoughts around at that very moment was how he had looked standing over Albert. And how he'd felt when she'd curled into him afterward.

"Do you think you can hold on for just a few more hours?" he said, his voice so low she could barely hear it. "I'm going to get you out of here. But you have to trust me."

She stared at the side of his face, unable to make out his exact expression, but sure it was serious. Hard.

Trust him. Two little words, but how complicated they were. How intricate.

She didn't know how, or why, or even when she'd started to change over the last twenty-four hours, but of one thing she was certain—she already did trust him. Completely. God help her.

She opened her mouth to answer, the water streaming down her face, her saturated hair just barely touching her shoulders.

He turned to her, his movements deliberate and measured. Her pulse thumped in her neck, her body heating in areas it shouldn't have. The tops of her breasts swelled over her arm which attempted to cover them, and she was aware of every single inch of exposed skin that he'd be able to see, even through the cloudy glass of the shower door. Still, she didn't move, the words that she wanted to say thick and catching in her throat.

Condensation dripped down the glass, creating jagged lines of clarity where there weren't any before. She could tell his eyes were moving over her. He didn't bother hiding it. They took her in, from her ankles, up the curve of her legs, over her hips, and toward her dripping chest. The knowledge sent a thrill through her. She was painfully self-conscious by nature; never in her life had she stood naked in front of a man. And certainly not one like this, a brooding, dangerous stranger. Yet she could feel the incredibly erotic, feminine power she had over him, simply by standing in one spot and staring right back. It was enough to make her body tremble in places she didn't even know she had.

Just when she couldn't stand the tension one second longer, just when she thought she might actually open the shower door and pull him in with her, he turned away.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, and walked out the door.

****

Wow...that was HOT!

FALLING IN DANGER - Available Now!

A journalist stumbles onto the story of a lifetime. And finds herself falling in danger…

When young, naïve reporter Jessica Brady is kidnapped and held for ransom by the head of an illegal dog fighting organization, undercover police officer Ian Cole realizes he's got his hands full. He's on the verge of busting the ring when he's assigned to babysit her, which isn't an easy feat. She's neurotic, feisty, and also happens to be scared to death of dogs. Now he has to figure out a way to get them both out alive.

Jessica has no idea the thug she's becoming attracted to is actually a cop, but it's clear he's not like the rest of the men in the organization. Particularly Albert Mancini, the disturbed only son of the ring boss, who has an appetite for alcohol and women. Especially Jessica.

When Ian's cover is blown, he's forced to bust the ring early. Weeks later, Jessica can't stop thinking about the experience that has changed her forever. She wonders about the tall, sexy detective who saved her life. And the mobster's prize-winning pit bull, Bruta.

An idea for a story is born. What if these dogs were given a second chance at life?

As Jessica digs deeper into their troubled world, she ends up falling for the police officer who rescued them. And discovers layers of her heart she never knew existed.

But when Albert escapes from jail, her happiness turns to terror. He hasn't forgotten about the detective who put him behind bars. Or the beautiful young woman whose every move has become his obsession.

Content Warning: Contains sensual sex and explicit language

Amazon | Nook | Beachwalk Press

Tantalizing Tuesday - Wanted: Wife by Lacey Wolfe

Welcome to the first Tantalizing Tuesday.

Today I wanted to share with you a piece of Wanted: Wife with you.

               ****

Sliding his hand around her neck, Steven tilted Darcy's head so he could deepen the kiss. Her fingers danced around his waist and the little sensation went straight to his groin. Releasing her hand, he gripped her waist and pulled her into him. He was hard and it pressed into her and she didn't seem to mind. Damn this woman! She should be pushing away from him, reminding him they were to stay friends, but instead he kept hoping her hand would find its way lower.

Could they do this once and then pretend it never happened? His erection was telling him yes, but his brain was telling him no. He started to pull away from the kiss, but Darcy wouldn't let him.

God, he was turned on and wanted to touch her, taste her, explore her. He needed her!

"Stop, Darcy." He pushed her off him.

She stepped back, a shocked look on her face.

"I can't control myself. I want to take you to bed so bad."

"I want that too." She moved closer to him again and wrapped her arm around his neck and let her other hand dangle at his waistband. "Can't we have a little fun?"

Do it or not? Yes or no? His core ached and taunted him. Taking a deep breath, he decided to listen to the head below. He lifted Darcy up and sat her on the counter. His lips were everywhere. Her neck, collarbone. His hands were greedy as they worked the buttons on her blouse. "Stop me now, Darcy."

She gazed into his eyes and then cupped his erection through his pants. "No."

"No turning back?"

"No turning back."

****

Woo, and it does heat up from there. :)

Wanted: Wife - available now!

Help Wanted: A Wife

Darcy White can't believe she's answering a help wanted ad from someone looking to hire a wife, but she's hit rock bottom and is on the verge of being evicted from her apartment. When she learns that the guy she had a crush on in high school is the one looking to hire, she'd be crazy not to live out her fantasy.

Steven McDonald needs a wife, or at least a fiancée, before his grandfather retires or else he won't inherit the family business. He knows not just any woman will do, and in a desperate attempt to find a solution, he places a help wanted ad in the local paper. The day Darcy White answers it, his dreams begin to come true.

As Darcy and Steven pretend they're engaged, they make a promise to keep things platonic. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to keep their hands off one another. With his grandfather's retirement approaching, and the possible end to their fake engagement, can Steven and Darcy admit their feelings to not only themselves but each other?

Content Warning: contains adult language and sensual love scenes

Amazon | Nook | Beachwalk Press (all formats available here)

Jaye's Sneak Peak: Secrets of the Fog

Hey Spicy Readers! In anticipation of my October 29th release from Crimson Romance, I'd like to share an excerpt from my full-length paranormal, Secrets of the Fog. The Immortals in Alameda trilogy focuses on the incredible men, Knights of the Fog, guardians and protectors of a hidden realm of portal travel, and the strong women they meet in the human realm. I chose ths excerpt because today, I'm headed off to Alcatraz. Gotta love living in the Bay Area, so many fun things to do. :)

                           Blurb for Secrets of the Fog
                                      (Book 1 in the Immortals in Alameda Trilogy):


                    A-Sexual Goddess + Giant Tree = Dryad. Or at least that’s how Tera was born.
​
When Tera’s friends inform her that the portal on Alcatraz Island was buzzing with an arrival, she thinks her goddess mother has come to visit. Quite the contrary. Another goddess has plans to kill Tera, and is sending a bunch of demons to do her dirty work. Instead of finding a goddess at the portal, Tera finds a gigantic otherworldly warrior causing mass destruction amongst the San Francisco tourists. Being a Forest Dryad born from the Goddess of the Hunt has its perks, and kicking ass is one of them.​
​

Sabin is six-feet-six of hard-bodied soldier, used to subduing demons twice his size. One day after chasing an elusive smoke demon through a portal into the human realm, Sabin is brought to his knees by a beautiful woman, literally. After arriving to a pier full of dead bodies, Tera issues a passionate smack-down before Sabin can explain that he’s the good guy. He becomes dedicated to saving her as an ancient grudge comes to life

Excerpt:

Sabin and the Nunanish fell through the fog. The demon dissipated into a dark cloud as Sabin met the ground with crushing force. Every bone in the immortal’s body was either snapped or crushed and even worse, the Nunanish was nowhere to be seen.

Lifting his head, Sabin noticed that he was not on the ground, but atop a human temple of some sort. He crawled along the cold stone, dragging his heavily-muscled but temporarily broken body. Peering over the ledge, he saw many humans buzzing in and out of the temple below him. Fog was thick around the portal ground, but in the distance he made out the shape of a ship laden with people. He quickly realized that he was on an island. Using his gift for language, he read the sign near the entrance of the temple. Alcatraz.

Sabin didn’t take the time to ponder the danger for the hundreds of humans that seemed to be arriving at the portal destination even though any one of the humanoids could become infected by the Nunanish and bring chaos to the region.

Grimacing against the agony of regenerating bones, he stood, shaking off the pain. As a warrior, he was accustomed to it. Thousands of years of war were required of a soldier before they were trusted enough to become a Knight of the Fog. After all, only those who waged the best war could keep the peace.

Standing atop the so-called Alcatraz, he tried to figure out his best course of action. Quickly deciding to inspect the local population for infection, he leapt from the roof in a graceful swoop.

Sabin’s heavy boots landed on the cement and the people screamed and jumped away–The hysteria. They have indeed been infected. His eyes filled with icy rage.

The people around him scattered like fearful little ants. The humans on this plane were indeed somewhat puny and frightful creatures. Sabin was overwhelmed with chaotic, frenzied voices.

“Is it a convict?”

“Is it a show?”

“Look at his eyes, he’s meant to be a ghost of Alcatraz!”

Ghost of Alcatraz? These people must be more crazed than I thought. Sabin was disgusted by the humans, so gullible, so easily infected. But as a Knight of the fog he knew that he must not disturb their existence, but preserve it.

Speaking for the first time in English, he enunciated carefully. “Yes, I am part of the show.” He cleared his throat and spoke to the crowd as his height towered above them.

An infidel spoke out. “Which inmate are you supposed to be?” There were more murmured voices, mostly from women.

“God, he’s huge.”

And from another, “He’s a gorgeous hunk of man, isn’t he? Models are so tall.”

“Look at his muscles.”

Suddenly he became aware of the fact that humans in the earthly realm were much more clothed. He wore only leather pants and combat boots, with thick astral artillery belts and guns strapped across his chest and slung across his hips. Losing his patience, he spoke again in a commanding voice. “There has been an escape. Has anybody noticed a dark spirit?”

Sabin was met only with the excited murmurs of the crowd. A tall, gangly man with glasses poked his head from around a door. “Are you new here?  I don’t think I’ve met you. You know, there’s not supposed to be any appearances until later tonight. I didn’t realize that there was a new show.”

Surveying the small island, Sabin pondered which of the two closest land masses to swim to. One way, there was a large hill-built city with many towers and ground vehicles. On the other side of the water was what appeared to be another island with much flora. The Nunanish surely would not have sought dense foliage; he would have sought the population of the city.

Screams rang in the distance. Gods Daimonous. Sabin realized that no Knights of the Fog were following, obviously having to deal with the outbreak in the Fog plane. “You.” He pointed to the gangly, spectacle-wearing tour-guide. “What is the quickest method off this island?”

When he was met with only open jaws, he took matters into his own hands and ran toward the island cliff to dive into the murky waters of the San Francisco Bay.

                                                                         * * * *

That's it! Hope you like it. Coming October 29th in print and e-format.

XOXO Jaye


                  About the Author

Jaye Shields holds a degree in Anthropology from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in archaeology. Her previous claims to fame include being a bass player for a grunge band called the Hymens, being mistaken for Britney Spears while in Tokyo, and commercial model. She insists the commercial still counts even though her lines were cut.

Born and raised in Seattle, she now lives in the realm of fog, skyscrapers, and redwood trees. Happy to call San Francisco home, she spends her time writing sensual paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Thanks to her grandmother, she's been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. Jaye sprinkles her love of history, mythology, and the occult into flaming hot reads.