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Reluctant Hero
-- EXCERPT: “What are those papers?” Nekoka demanded. The world had suddenly gotten hot, and with a ripple, her fur thinned out over her body. The blood was pounding in her ears as her gaze homed in on the papers. They couldn’t do this. They wouldn’t do this. They were her friends. Her family. “It’s just a trial,” Zack said, finally facing her, his silver eyes barely meeting hers. “Temporary. So, you can see how it won’t be that big a deal.” Nekoka charged forward and snatched the papers off the tiled countertop. Application for Hero Certification – New Orleans “I told you,” Minnie said, crossing her arms over her ample chest. “We can’t do this without everyone’s say so. Nekoka and I aren’t certain this is the best path for us. It takes away our autonomy.” She’d told him. Told Zack she didn’t want this. They’d talked about this. “I know you think this is going to be some big Supervillain versus Superhero all-out war. That’s ridiculous.” Zack shook his head, then returned to staring at Nekoka, his silver eyes red around the edges, a sign of sleepless nights. A sign that this had been planned, and he had been worried. “We have power,” he continued, pleaded. “We’ve a duty to help people.” “No!” Then she took in a breath. The air felt stiff. “We do not.” Her voice sounded hard, alien. Then words kept coming, flowing from her mouth. “We have a duty to ourselves. That’s it. Bottom line. All else is simple choice.” Everything went numb inside. “Listen, you go ahead.” Would her mouth stop talking? Would her friends not do this? Her sour gut churned. Everything was hot. So hot. “You go ahead,” she said. “Go Certified. Do what you want.” She walked away. 
GIVEAWAY! --
September Road
-- EXCERPT: Ruthie is staring at the new arrival when I step back into the diner. “I’ve already given him a menu,” she says. I nod and grab the coffeepot in case he wants a cup, so I don’t have to backtrack. Looking at him from behind, it’s another buzz cut. Well, his hair isn’t exactly that short, but that’s how I refer to all the military guys we get here. There’s an Army base in the next town, but eventually, they cruise over here for something different. “Would you like coffee?” I ask. Without looking up from the menu, he places a hand over the cup. “Too late in the evening. I’ll be up half the night.” I glance over at Sally’s table to see where the demons are hiding. Rufus sticks his tongue out, but I ignore him. I put the pot down and pull out my order pad from my pocket. I could do this by memory, but Russell likes a paper trail. “Do you know what you want, or should I come back?” My pencil is poised to put down the order. “Is the meatloaf homemade?” His head still bent over the menu. “Yeah, Ruthie makes it herself; it’s a favorite around here.” He continues to study the menu like he’s planning a freaking tactical maneuver. Gee, dude, why is it so hard to decide? It’s just basic American diner food, not the menu at the ritzy Holiday Inn. He looks up. “I’ll have that and a beer. Could I have water first?” I just stare at him for a moment, looking into intense blue eyes. He holds my gaze, connecting, boring deep into my soul until he sits back, eyes narrow, a devious grin pulling at the corners of his lips as his hungry gaze takes me in slowly, traveling over the contours of my body like I’m the special on the menu. I’m used to men looking at me. Waiting on the military guys, it’s what you put up with while waitressing, but his brash inspection is different; it stirs something inside me, forcing me to look down at my order pad to break the contact. I write water on the top of the page to give me time to gather enough control to look at him again. “Sure, I can get you water,” I say, trying to sound like the last few seconds didn’t affect me. I breathe in deep, pull my gaze back to him, and I can’t believe it. I’m dragged back into this crazy surreal space like somehow this moment is important. “That would be good,” he says, breaking me out of a weird time gap. His gaze turns quizzical as he pushes the menu toward me. I snap out of it long enough to scoop up the menu and lift the coffeepot off the table, heading for the counter. Did that happen, or was that all in my head? I quash an urge to look over my shoulder to check to see if he’s real. Ruthie leans into me as I’m pouring the water, still a little shaken by the encounter. “That’s a bona fide hottie you got in that booth. He looks military. Maybe he’s on leave, maybe he’s lonely, maybe you just got lucky?” she whispers. 
GIVEAWAY! --
Molly
-- EXCERPT: “Molly! What a surprise!” Harley John swung Molly off her feet into a wide circle, then kissed her cheek before he set her down. Hoping none of her superiors had witnessed the display, Molly frowned at Harley John, but playfully swatted his shoulder before straightening her cap he’d knocked askew with his exuberant greeting. She gave him another hug, unable to keep from sharing her pleasure in seeing him. “Oh, Harley John! I’d hoped to see you, but had no idea where you’d be. Have you been here long?” “No. We just arrived this morning. How long have you been here?” he asked. “A few weeks. It’s so good to see you.” Molly gave him a studying glance, then grinned, concluding Harley John had changed since he’d been drafted. “You look wonderful. I take it being a soldier agrees with you.” Harley John shrugged. “No more than anyone else here, but I get along well enough.” “Bosh and nonsense. You look quite handsome and so grown up. If Sadie saw you, she’d likely swoon.” He grinned at her and squeezed her hand. “I can tell you for a fact she nearly did when I saw her recently. She was taking a few days of rest at the home of a patient’s sister. Other than divine intervention, there is no way to understand how we happened upon one another. We’d both gone to pick some grapes and found each other in the vineyard. Can you believe it?” Stunned by his story, Molly could only imagine what seeing Harley John had been like for Sadie. Her sister would have treasured every precious moment with him. “How is she? Is she well? Was she thrilled to see you? Tell me everything.” “I will. Right after you meet my friend.” Harley John directed her over to where the good-looking soldier who’d elbowed him stood near the mess hall. “Molly, I’d like you to meet my good friend, Friday Fitzpatrick. Friday, this is Sadie’s sister Molly.” Friday politely tipped his head to Molly and offered her a look she wasn’t certain how to interpret. It left her unsettled and anxious, but interested at the same time. She gave the man a half-smile before she pointed to a bench constructed by one of their engineers from a fallen tree. “Let’s sit there and visit, Harley John. I have a few minutes before I report for duty.” Harley John guided Molly to the bench. Despite her intentions to ignore him, she twice glanced over her shoulder at Friday. The silly man remained exactly where they’d left him, as though his boots had been set in cement. The look on his face could only be described as dumbfounded. She and Harley John sat and visited about family, France, and the war. She cast a glimpse over to where Friday continued to stand as stiff as a statue. “Tell me about your friend Friday.” Harley John smirked at her, and she blushed. “Normally he doesn’t look like such a dunce, but I think you left him awestruck,” Harley John said as he looked at his friend. “He’s from Oregon. His folks have a nut orchard south of Portland. He has four sisters, and he’s a fine fellow and a good friend. He intends to return to the orchard when the war ends, but you know it’s only a few hours by train between there and Pendleton.”
GIVEAWAY! -- #Book Blitz #Online Rebellion: The Escape by Blue Matt Jeff #Fantasy #LGBTQ+ @Xpresso Book Tours12/7/2024
Online Rebellion: The Escape
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GIVEAWAY! -- |
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