Teaser Tuesday: Artifact Spirit

Hi, guys, today is special. Well, special for me, anyway. :D I'm releasing the first part of ch.1 of my nano book. It's EXTREMELY rough as I just wrote it yesterday and it's in 3rd person, which I'm not the best at yet, but I like to challenge myself.


ARITIFACT SPIRIT is a steampunk story about a clockwork doll who has come alive after 100 years of being loved and cared for by the Adair family--the royal family in my fictional European Victorian Age kingdom. It is based on the Japanese myth of the Tsukumogami and Cinderella--with a few changes of my own.


Without further adieu, Scene 1 of Chapter 1 of ARTIFACT SPIRIT.

Delaney wanted to cover his ears with his hands and shout, "Will you three please stop your incessant, senseless chattering!" but he knew the resultant outcome would not be beneficial. Then their incessant ramblings would only turn to shouts, which would bring his father.

Since he didn't feel like explaining why he shouted at the trio of women, something a gentleman did not do under any circumstance, it was far easier to just endure.

And endure he was.

Ever since his father had come home with Lady Mallory Novelle and her two pampered wretches--daughters--he'd quietly done as was bid of him. Including relocating to the other side of his home. As far away from the twin terrors as possible without vacating the residence.

However, it hadn't been for his father's new wife as much as it had been for his own sanity. He could tell, even then, that his life was about to change completely. He just didn't realize how much.

Now, just a few weeks later, he strode through the home that had belonged in his mother's family for centuries, giving his new sisters and mother an official tour. His father had insisted he do everything to make the three feel welcome and apparently that included being open to their beck and call.

When they reached the ballroom on the first floor, Del paused by the carved mahogany doors. A lance of pain and grief stabbed into him. This had been his mother's domain. Her most prized area. Not just because of the lavish parties she would host, but because of the menagerie of dolls that adorned the stage.

It felt wrong to be bringing the woman that had replaced her to it, but he had no choice but to continue. Lady Novelle was already pushing open the door. A sure sign that she was not the lady her name suggested she was. A really lady would not open a door with a man present. A look of disgust appeared on her face when a cloud of dust erupted from the space.

She inhaled and then started a fit of coughing. Del couldn't help but be pleased her lack of manners had come back to bite her, though he offered his handkerchief. She yanked it from his hand and brought it up to her nose, before gesturing for Del to light the lamps.

Once he did she continued over the once glossy wood floors that were now covered in inches of dust.

"What is this? It's disgusting," Cassandra the blond of the two twins, said. Her nasily voice echoed through out the large room as did the click of their booted feet as the trio walked further in.

Del stiffened, fighting back the urge to tell her the shut her mouth. That real ladies were seen but not heard, but it would be lost on them. "It is the ballroom. It was my Mother's favorite place." He frowned, not exactly sure why he felt the need to them the last part.

Lady Novelle ran a white gloved hand along the dark wainscoting on the silk-papered walls. She wrinkled her nose at the layer of grime now coating the tip of her finger.

"It looks quite neglected," she said, with a superior look on her face that had Del been any less of a gentleman he would have had the urge to knock it right of her face.

"Yes," he said, keeping his face blank, but his fingers clenched into his trousers. "She didn't like anyone but herself to wind the dolls. When she took ill, she tried her best to keep doing it, but...it quickly became too much for her."

"What an idiot," said Narcissa, the dark haired twin. Her voice was just as nasally as her sisters, but it also had a high-pitched whine to it at all times. Del had to fight a wince when she spoke, it was like listening to nails on a slate board. "Why didn't she just use the servants? That's their job."

Del's hands tightened as did his jaw. A little tick fluttered in his cheek. "The dolls are old and precious to her. She trusted no one with them."

The girl rolled her eyes, then they widened. "Did you say dolls? What kinds of dolls?"

He regretted instantly that he'd told them about them, but there was nothing to be done. He gestured toward the raised stage on the far end of the room. "Be my guest," he said.

The two girls raced across the room, clamoring to get to the dolls first. They tripped and fought with each other each pushing the other straight off the stairway, before finally making it to the top.

Lady Novelle and Del followed more sedately. The former giving them looks of indulgence and the latter scowling at their completely unladylike behavior. Had he any sisters, his mother would not have tolerated that sort of behavior.

These...girls were to be the newest to the Adair line? Didn't exactly give one confidence in the future.

Del walked to the side of the stage and turned the knobs for the stage lamps. Gaslight glowed from the many lamps aimed at the stage, revealing the dozen or so clockwork dolls.

Beautiful, life-sized clockwork dolls made for the express purpose of entertaining guests as they danced across the stage.

"Those aren't dolls," Narcissa said. "They're too big. And...they're ugly. Why are their faces all white. And what are they wearing? Pajamas." She scrunched up her face and lifted her nose in the air.

"They are clockwork dolls. They dance," Del said, calmly despite the storm raging in him. He touched the oldest, and most favored of his mother's dolls, letting his hand rest on the cool somehow very flesh-like skin of the dolls wrist.

"This was her favorite," he told them, staring into the doll's brown eyes. It's a hundred years old. A gift from my great-grandfather to his wife for their wedding anniversary.

He brought it back from his travels to the East. It is dressed as a Japanese Geisha in her traditional garb." He turned his attention to Cassandra. "They are not pajamas."

"They dance?" asked Cassandra. "How?"

Del reached behind the doll to the large key in the middle of her back. He gave it a few quick turns and stepped back.

With clinks and a few grinding gears, the doll straightened, seemingly staring at Del for a few seconds before moving toward the girls, who squealed and ran to clutch at their mother's skirt.

"What is it doing?" Lady Novelle asked.

Del smiled, watching the dolls intricate movements. "It's performing a kabuki dance. A traditional Japanese dance." He remembered watching her perform the dances over and over again. Enthralled that something made of porcelain and metal, was so beautiful and lithe. She appeared now as she did then, as real as he. He could almost feel like she was watching him as he watched her. Not for the first time, he felt the urge to dance with her, but now was not the time.

"It's awful," Cassandra said. "I don't like it. Make it stop."

Before Delaney could say or do anything the doll stopped in her original position. The clicking of her clockwork innards still echoed throughout the room, but she didn't budge. Not one gear.

"It's broken," Narcissa said. "Good. She's horrible looking." She turned to sneer at Del. "Your mother had dreadful taste."

Del narrowed his eyes. "It appears she wasn't the only one. My father seems to have it as well." Then he spun on his heal and marched from the room, his back ramrod stiff.

TEASER TUESDAY: Reaping

 This is the scene from the school dance, where Emily thinks that Toby is the Soul Stealer or his slave.  She's gone with him to try and get him to prove it, but quickly finds out how wrong she was and ends up with an unexpected surprise.  Let's watch.

Toby picked me up in a fancy red sports car.  Since cars and I didn't really get along, I had no clue what kind it was, but I could tell this one was expensive. 

Since his parents were solidly middle-class I was pretty sure I knew where he'd gotten the money for it.  But I had no proof and I didn't want to accuse him of being a demon's slave until I was sure.  That was all I needed to be was wrong and then he tell everyone in the school I was insane and thought I was a reaper. 

 Though I doubted anyone would believe him.  No one but the real demon that is. 

He took me out for dinner--where he bored me brainless with his incessant chatter about football, and accidentally let it slip the car was a rental he'd gotten to impress me--and then drove straight to the dance. 

   There he dragged me around the room introducing me to his friends and preening as if I were a prized mare instead of his date.  He was always trying to touch me and I had no idea how Addy had put up with him, but it hadn't taken me long to realize I'd made a mistake. 

   He wasn't a demon slave and he wasn't the demon.  Unless he was a very good actor, which I doubted. 

   Demons were selfish and self centered, but this, this took the cake.  Not to mention that he was oblivious of anything but my bust line and cleavage.

   No, he wasn't the demon and I'd wasted precious time on him.  That meant that someone else had taken Addy's soul and she didn't even know who it was. 

   How did a demon, or his slave, steal a soul without her knowing the person?  Soul Stealing required skin to skin contact.  Just like my reaping required soul to soul contact.

   Having had enough of Toby for the night, I sent him to go and get me a drink and then hid in the shadows, trying to think of a way to get home without him.

   When I saw Toby looking for me, I tried melting into the wall behind me, but bumped into someone and turned to apologize.  I bit my tongue when I saw it was Kieran.

   He blinked and then smiled.  "Emily?  Is that you?"

   "Duh." I shook my head.

   "Wow.  You look...great!  That's a wonderful color on you."

   I couldn't help but grin and preen a bit.  "Really?  Thanks."

   He gave me a once over and then frowned at my silk covered wrist.  "You don't have a corsage."

   "A what?"

   "You know.  A flower arrangement the girl wears to fancy dances."

   Oh.  Oops.  Guess Isis didn't know everything.  "Oh yeah.  I, uh, forgot to get one of those."

   "Em, you're not supposed to get it.  He is.  Speaking of him.  Did you mean what you said?  About paying him back for what he did to Addy?"

   "Ah, there you are, my sweet.  I'd wondered where you disappeared off to," Toby said from beside me.  "Kieran.  It's nice to see you again."  He held out his hand for Kieran to shake, but Kieran only stared at it.  Toby dropped his and then turned back to me.  "Come on. There's a group of people I want you to meet."

   I suppressed the groan and started to follow after him, but Kieran stepped in front of me and took my hand in his.  His eyes met mine.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, trying to tug away.

"You can't go to the dance without a corsage."  He smiled at me.  Something heavy slipped over my hand and I glanced down to see a bracelet with gold flower links resting on my wrist.

A thrill ran up me at the sight, but I knew better than to take trinkets from boys.  "Shouldn't you be giving this to your date? And this isn't a corsage."

"Close enough and this is for the person I wanted to be my date," he whispered.

His thumb rubbed circles across the back of my hand. It didn't take a genius to know he was talking about me.  My stomach muscles tightened in response as my heart skipped a beat.

I moved my eyes to his.  "Thank you.  It's beautiful."  We stared at each other for a few minutes, until Toby cleared his throat.

   Reluctant, I slid my hand away and followed Toby as he took me as far from Kieran as he could manage. 

   Toby glanced down and I could have sworn he glared at the bracelet, but he didn't say anything and neither did I.

   We danced a few dances, but he was so clumsy I begged off to save my feet.  Undeterred he joined me and once again started his I'm-so-good monologue.   Before long though he seemed to get that I wasn't all that into his stuff and started asking questions, which I answered with the shortest possible reply. 

   I just wanted this night to be over with. 

   When he caught the hint I didn't want to talk, he stopped and we stared off into opposite directions.  I was relieved when a girl came up to him and asked him to dance with her.  He shot me a questioning look and I nodded and shooed him away.  At least it would be quieter now. 

   A hand dropped on my shoulder, startling me and I looked up to see Kieran's half grin.  "Where's your date?" he asked.

   I gestured toward the dance floor.  "Over there.  Somewhere.  Thank goodness."

   "Has Prince Charming turned into the frog?"

    I laughed.  "No, he was always the frog."

   He burst out laughing and then held out his hand.  "Well, it's a shame for such a pretty lady to be sitting all alone tonight.  Care to dance?"

   I shrugged, but held out my hand for him to help me up.  The dress may have been beautiful, but it was a pain to move in. 

   He led me onto the floor just as my favorite slow song came on.  I sent him a quizzical look and he smiled.  "You were listening to it the other day and you seemed happy.  I bribed the DJ to change the song the minute we stepped onto the dance floor."

   Giving him a large smile,  I placed my arms around his neck, careful my skin didn't touch his, and he put his on my waist.  I tried to ignore the little tingles his touch had given me.  The last time I'd felt those things, it had been the beginning of the end for me.  And nothing could come of this.  I couldn't touch him.  He would be the one who died this time.

   "You never answered my question earlier."

   "Which one was that?"  Being so close to him was causing my blood to hum and I was torn between enjoying the feeling and wanting to run far away from it. 

   "About Toby.  That you'd only come here with him because of what he did to  Addy."

   "Yeah, but..."

   "But?"

   "I don't know.  There really isn't anything I can do.  It wasn't a very good idea."

   "Well, in a way it was."

   I tilted my head back to look at him.  "Why is that?"

   He pulled me closer to whisper in my ear, sending tingles throughout my body.  "Because now I don't have to pretend we came together as just friends."

   I couldn't speak.  Sand dunes had arisen in my mouth, making my mouth as dry as the desert.   We were both quiet as we continued to dance. 

   "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

   I wanted to tell him that yes he did make me uncomfortable and pull away, but my heart decided to take control of my brain and answered for me.  "You didn't make me uncomfortable," I said, breathlessly.

   "Yeah?  What did I make you?" His own voice was husky, as if he'd just woken up from sleep.           

   At that moment the song changed and I stepped away, but he pulled me back.  "Don't go.  If you do, you'll just have to deal with the frog prince."

   I glanced over my shoulder and saw Toby waiting at the table for me.  I tried suppressing a shudder at the look in his eyes, but Kieran caught it and tugged me closer. 

   "See, I told you, you wanted to stay with me."

   For the rest of the song, I stayed in his arms, wondering why things had to be so difficult.  Why I couldn't, for one night, pretend I was something other than what I was.

   His hand rubbed up and down my back and I gave up and rested my head on his shoulder, pretending we were like any other couple on the floor. 

   When the song ended, neither of us let go of the other, until a hand rested on my shoulder. 

   "May I cut in?" Toby asked.

   Kieran's arms tightened for the briefest of seconds before he let go and stepped back.

   "Sure," he said and disappeared into the crowd before I could stop him.

   Toby took his place in time for the next song to start, but it had changed to a faster song.  I gave him a grin and a shrug and danced along with the music. 

   For the rest of the night I kept an eye out for Kieran, but I could never find him.  I found Becca though and she did not appear happy.  Eventually I gave up looking for him.  And made sure to stay out of Becca's way.

   A pop song came on and I wiggled my hips and moved my body in time to the bass.  The best part of this world was it's music.  Where I'd come from music was boring and even the chaste dance I'd had with Kieran would have been outlawed.  Toby's eyes gleamed when he saw my movements and then he joined me, stepping behind me and placing his hand at my hip, matching his movements to mine.

   Having too much fun, I didn't care.  I laughed when we bumped each other. When I glanced behind me to smile at him, I stopped in mid motion.  Kieran was leaning against the wall in the corner, his eyes focused on me.  He raised a brow and I gave him a saucy smile.  He lifted his glass in a toast and smiled back.  I took a step toward him, but Toby stopped me, turning me around to face him.

   I pulled away and started again in Kieran's direction, but he'd disappeared again.  Disappointed, I stayed where I was and eventually let Toby pull me into another dance.  This one a slow song again.

   Halfway through the song, he tugged on my hand and started leading me toward the doors leading to the outside.

   "Let's go get some fresh air."

             I set me feet and shook my head.

   "I don't want to go outside."

   He ignored me and pulled harder.  Unfortunately, even though I was supernatural, I didn't have super powers.  Meaning I wasn't stronger than him and he was able to pull me toward the doors.

             I struggled to get away, but it wasn't any use.  Tremors of panic zigzagged through me as he succeeded in pulling me outside and into the garden. 

   It surprised me nobody had noticed his little stunt and come to help me.  Then again, I was just the new girl and a freak on top of it.  No one probably cared what happened to me.

   When we'd gotten to where he wanted, he loosened his grip at the same time as I found the strength to pull my arm away.  But I did one better and punched him in the face.  Blood spurted out of his nose and splattered my dress.

   He yelped and jumped back, tearing one strap of my dress.  I hissed at the throbbing in my fist, but stood firm.

   He glared at me out of tear filled eyes.  "What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded.

   "Me? You pull me into the middle of some dark garden without my consent and you wonder what's wrong with me?"  I stood there, panting and cradling my fist in my other hand.

   "You owe me."

   "For what?" I spit out.  I couldn't believe my ears.  How the hell did I owe him that?

   "I bought you dinner.  I bought the stupid tickets to this dumb dance, rented the car, and I took you here.  You owe me."

   I sputtered.  And instead of answering, reared my hand back to punch him again, but a hand grabbed my wrist stopped me.  I glanced over and saw Kieran next to me.

 "Don't.  He's not worth breaking your fingers over."  He glared at Toby.   "Don't you ever touch her again," he told him.

   Toby smirked.  "Yeah, and what are you going to do about it.  You didn't do anything when I took Addy away from you and you won't do anything now."

   Before I could say anything, Kieran had punched Toby and sent him crashing into a large potted tree.  I stared in shock as a Toby fell over the pot and landed on the ground.

   Blood continued to pour from his nose and he was starting to get a black eye, but he didn't get up.  He was out cold.

   The crash from his fall had finally alerted the others and pounding feet raced toward us.  I tugged on Kieran's hand.  "Come on.  We have to get out of here."

   When he didn't budge, I was worried he wouldn't come and we'd get into trouble, but when I tugged again he slowly followed.  And soon we were racing to the parking lot.  He took the lead and pulled me to his truck.  It sparkled under the lamplight.

   "It's clean," I said with a laugh.

   "Well, yeah. I had a date, you know. I couldn't let her get her pretty dress ruined before she could show it off."  He lowered the tailgate and patted it. 

He turned when I made no move to jump onto it and sighed.  Then he stripped off his jacket and pulled it around my shoulders.   "What a creep."

   "Yeah, I guess he was.  Well, at least we both payed him back for Addy."

   "Nice shot, by the way."

   "Thanks."  I winced when I moved my hand and a sharp pain shot up from my knuckles to just above my wrist.

   He grabbed me by the waist and lifted me up to sit on the tailgate, and then took my hand.  I yanked it away. "Don't take off the gloves."

   "Why?" he asked.  "I have to to see what damage you did." He started to tug on the silk again.

   I pulled away again, causing the glove to slid off.  Damn it!   "No, please.  Just trust me."

   "What's the big deal?" He paused.  "Are you a cutter?"

   I blinked.  "A what?"

   "A cutter.  You know," he made slicing gestures over his arm.  "The people who cut themselves to make themselves feel better.  Is that why you're always covering your arms up."

   "Oh, no.  I'm not a cutter.  I...uh...have a skin disorder.  Very contagious.  Nasty stuff."

   He gave me a 'yeah right' look, but handed me the glove.  "Go ahead and put it back on.  I've seen enough."

   When I'd replaced it, being as careful as possible, he took my hand and started feeling around.  I prepared for more pain, but he probed around very gently.

     "It's swollen and bruised.  I think you broke more than his nose."

   I groaned.  Super healing was also not part of the job description.  I was as close to human as I could get without being, well, you know, human.  "Great.  Well, that's just the perfect end cap to the night.  Isn't it?" 

   "Here.  I'll kiss it and make it all better," he said.

   I laughed, but shrugged.  "Sure.  Why not?"

   He lifted my hand to his mouth, and watching my face, kissed it.  My nerves hummed at his touch.  His eyes turned black as desire filled them and the next thing I know his mouth was on mine and he was pulling me into him.

   At first I was frozen in place, and only had only a moment to think that he shouldn't still be kissing me, that he shouldn't be alive, before my mind went blank and I was lost in the moment. 

   My eyes fluttered closed and I brought my arms around his neck.  He made a sound that was a cross between a groan and a moan. His hands grabbed my hips and yanked my closer, pressing his body against mine.  The skirt of the dress hiked up along my legs, revealing them to my thighs, as he slid his body between them.

  

   My head spun and my pulse bounded in my throat as he pulled back to give

us a chance to take a breath, but I dragged him back to me again.  I wrapped my legs around his waist and locked my ankles.

   He moved his mouth to my throat and I tilted my head, enjoying the sensations of his tongue running down my neck and along my collarbone.  His hands moved to my legs, but stayed just above my knee, his thumbs running circles over my skin and driving me crazy.

   All at once, reality came crashing in on me and I realized what was happening.  I yanked away and jumped to the ground, getting as far from him as possible. 

   I was still gasping for breath, as he was.  "What's wrong?" he asked, taking a step toward me.

   I stepped backward.  "What are you?" I asked, trembling.   Why was he still alive?  How come I didn't kill him?

   He stopped in his tracks and his face went blank.  "What do you mean?"

   "How come I didn't hurt you?" I didn't care at this point that I was giving too much away.  There was no reason he should be still alive.

   He laughed.  "A kiss isn't going to hurt me, Emily.  I'm not worried about...your skin disease."

   I narrowed my eyes and studied him carefully, and then did the dumbest thing I could think of.  I ripped off my glove and grabbed his hand.

<<<<>>>> 

Teaser Tuesday: Reaping

It's that time again! Here's a little excerpt from my newest WIP. It's very, very rough, but I thought I'd give you a hint at what's to come. :D

         I tapped a sheaf of papers—which was all that was left to do after my latest transport—so the pages lined up, and placed them off to the side to bring to the file clerk, even in the Otherworld there was paperwork.  I adjusted my stapler on the corner of my desk so the edges matched up, spending almost five minutes making sure it was perfect.  Then I slipped my pen in the drawer, and preceded to organize my already organized files, going so far as to make sure the files in the alphabetized folders were also in alphabetical order. 

         This wasn’t done to make sure my workplace was tidy; it was a way of stalling.  Just after I’d transported her to her final destination, I’d received a message from Azrael—my boss, “Meet me in my office when you’re done,” and I’d been a nervous wreck since.

         That wasn’t at all the way it was supposed to happen.  Usually, I got a ‘good job’ when I handed in my paperwork—if he was around.  If I’d done really well, I might have even gotten a handshake, but I’d never gotten called to his office.  And especially not the second I’d returned from Elysia.  In fact, I’d only ever been to his office once.  The day I’d arrived.

         Almost no one went to his office, unless you were a member of his Assembly or you did something very, very wrong.  I was not a member of his Assembly.

         When I caught myself straightening the pencils in my drawer so the tips all faced the same direction, I forced myself to get up and go to Azrael.

         His office was similar to mine—as were all the offices—except it was bigger.  A lot bigger. But then when you where in charge of every single reaper in the Otherworld it only made sense. 

         The walls of his office were a fawn color and had wainscoting along the bottom, while my walls were a dingy yellow, as if they had suffered through years of smoking.  His desk was beautiful rosewood, while mine was a dented, brown, metal military surplus. He had a beautiful Turkish rug over Mahogany hardwood floors and I had threadbare carpet over concrete. 

         I stepped into the anteroom, which was a smaller, cozier version of his office.  It was where he did his more informal discussions with those in the higher circle.  Those that had gone beyond just a simple collector or transporter.  Candlelight lit the room, giving it an even more homey feeling. 

         As modern as the Otherworld had become, it still didn’t run to modern conveniences such as electricity.  There really wasn’t any need.  Reapers didn’t need the comforts humans did.  Cold, heat, light, dark.  None of that mattered to us.  If we were lucky enough to be given an assignment that meant becoming corporeal, than it would.  We would feel the same humans did, but that was rare and only given to the most trusted reapers.  An experience I hoped to gain one day. 

         I grinned when I saw Azreal’s hound sleeping in the center of the Aubusson rug.  One massive eye opened, then the rest followed suit.  His tail waged, and three tongues appeared from behind rows of razor sharp teeth. I knelt down to scratch his belly with both hands, laughing when his leg started kicking.  For a dog that had three heads and was larger than myself, Cerberus was as gentle as a lamb. With people he liked anyway. 

         “Whose a good boy?  Huh?  Whose a good boy?”  One of his large heads lifted and his tongue slurped up the side of my face. “Eww!” I exclaimed, laughing, and trying to wipe the slobber off with my sleeve.  “Keep that up and we won’t play Frisbee later.”  His tail thumbed heavily.

         A throat cleared behind me and I jumped up to stand at attention, trying not to show my embarrassment of having been caught by the man himself, playing with his dog.  Cerberus whined, stood, and went to his master—who gave him a few strokes behind the ears of one of his heads—before going to curl up in the corner.

         “Emily, it’s wonderful to see you again.  I don’t get to nearly enough,” Azrael said, and took my hand to shake it.  He gestured to the couch behind me.  “Please have a seat.”

         My nerves settled slightly as I took a calming breath.  We weren’t going to his office, which meant I wasn’t in trouble.  I sat, but didn’t relax completely; I’d still been summoned.  That was never a good thing.

         He waited until I sat before doing the same, and then steepled his spidery thin fingers together.  He propped them under his chin and then leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs, studying me, while I watched him.  His dark hair and pale skin glowed under the lamplight. His eyes locked onto mine and stayed there, not even blinking.

         When I started to fidget from the intensity of stare, he smiled.  “Yes, I do believe I was right about you.”

         That threw me for a loop and I blinked.  “Sir?”

         “When I brought you on board.”  His smile grew.  “I saw something in you.  The others did not agree, but you have proven me right time and time again. As you well know, there aren’t many that were in your position that are offered what you were. I am quite proud of you, Emily.”

         I blushed and looked down at the hands I’d clasped in my lap.  “Thank you.”

         He stood up, drawing my attention back to him. “There is a request I must make of you.”

         Knowing better than to interrupt, I waited for him to continue.  He walked across the room to shut and bolt the heavy door, sealing us into the room.  A feeling of dread settled over me. 

         “You did well with your latest,” he said, returning to seat.

         “Sir?” The abrupt change of subject confused me, but did nothing to expel the dread that was creeping into every corner of my being.

         “The woman.  With the heart failure.”

         “Mrs. Crous?” I asked, stupidly, my eyebrows winging up.

         He gave me an indulgent smile.  “Yes, you would know your charges name.  You always do.”

         “I don’t understand.”

         “That case could have been very difficult.”

         I gave a soft snort.  “How so?  It was just a standard C & T.”

         He shook his head.  “There is no such thing as standard, Emily.  But yes, sometimes they are easier than others.”  He stared of into space again. 

         I waited him out, being careful not to say anything.  Whatever was on his mind was big and it was bad.  Worry and little prickles of panic tickled my nerves.

         “We have a problem,” he said, with a sigh.  “A big problem.  And I need your help.  I’m making you a part of the Assembly.”

         “M-me?”  Ohmigosh.

         “Yes.  I’m afraid you’re the only one it can be.  I trust no one else.” His eyes hardened when he said it, stopping me from asking any more questions. He tossed me a file folder he’d pulled out of thin air. It never cease to amaze me how he could do that.   “Study that.”

         With a slight hesitation, I flipped it open and read through it. The only sound was the rustling of pages and Cerberus’ light snore.   When I finished I looked back up, my brows furrowed.  “I don’t understand.”

         “There’s been an influx of ethereal activity in the past six months, but no one can find the source.  We’ve monitored it, but it wasn’t until a girl died and Cera, who’d been assigned to her, came back without the girl’s soul. Because there wasn’t one to collect.”

         Shock poured over me. “She sold her soul?”

         He shook his head and sighed.  I worried I’d disappointed him, but it was sadness etched onto his face.  “No.  Worse.  Read it again.”

         I read through again, carefully this time.  Going over a few pages several times just to make sure I was reading correctly.

         “Someone stole her soul?”

         He gave me an indulgent smile.  “I knew it wouldn’t take you long,” he said, rubbing a hand over his eyes.  It was the only outward sign of agitation I’d ever remembered seeing on him.  “Yes, and she’s not the only one.  I’ve had three more reapers come back empty handed.”

         “Why? Who?”

         He shoved a hand through his hair.  “There is no good reason and that’s what I’d like to know.”

         “What do we do?”

         “I can do nothing.  It’s you that’s going to have to do it.”

         I almost swallowed my tongue.  “Me?” 

         “I need somebody I trust to go to the Corporeal world—to become corporeal.” He watched me as the news sunk in.  “You will try to find out who is doing this and why. We also need to find everyone who’s missing a soul, so we may return it to them after we get it back from the creatures that have taken them and you have to do it quickly.”

         “Why?”

         “The longer a human is without their souls the less chance we’ll be able to get the body to take it back and the more chance that someone is going to realize they’re living, talking, and eating with living, breathing zombies.”

         I burst out laughing.  “Zombies?  What like those horror flicks that humans are always watching.”

         His mouth tilted up a little in the corner.  “Yeah, a little, but they’re not like that exactly.  The voodoo definition is a more accurate description.”  His lips went back to the straight line he’d held before.  “But this isn’t a laughing matter, Emily.  We don’t want any more innocents dying without their souls.  And I don’t want you to lose yours.”

         My heart leaped into my throat.  “What do you mean?”

         “Demons and reapers don’t get along because Reapers impede the demons need to corrupt innocent souls.  They can’t harm a soul as long as we are they to courier them to the Otherworld.  If a demon knew you were there—especially the one that’s the cause of all this—the results could be disastrous.”

         “But why me?  Surely you have someone who’s been around longer, someone who’s dealt with this kind of thing before.  Someone who isn’t here as a punishment.”

         “Because you’re the only one I trust.”

         I narrowed my eyes.  “Why?”

         “Because in life—and death—despite your…mistake, your soul is pure.  You have a kindness that knows no bounds, and most importantly, you still remember what it’s like to be human.”

Teaser Tuesday: It's Complicated

Today's teaser is from It's Complicated. I wrote this just yesterday so it's a little rough, but I thought you all would enjoy something from further into the story. Not exactly sure where this is going to go, but that's half the fun. :) Hope you enjoy!

Aidan smiled when he saw me and waved me over.  I hurried over, trying to ignore the horses that were tied everywhere.  If I pretended they weren’t there, I could get through.

            When I reached him, he asked, “You okay?”

            I tugged my t-shirt down.  “Perfect.  Did I make it in time?”

            “Just. He’s up next.” He led me through the groups of people so I didn’t get lost.  Or panic and bolt, I thought when a horse poked it’s head near my head and snorted.  I jumped and clung to Aidan, who laughed, but moved faster.

            Why did I come again?  Oh yeah, because Sloan deserved to have someone he knew watch him win.  Just because Maggie and my dad couldn’t be there for him, didn’t mean I couldn’t be. 

            We stopped at the fence and watched, as the horse Sloan would be riding was loaded into the chute.  Then Sloan settled himself on top and was prepped by his and the horses handlers. 

            He glanced over toward Aidan and smiled, but it slid off his face when he saw me.  His eyes widened, but before he could say anything the gate opened and the horse ran straight out into the arena, bucking the whole way.  Unfortunately, Sloan hadn’t been ready and he’d been tossed to the ground within moments of leaving the gate. 

            My heart leaped into my throat as the horse reared and came way too close to stomping on him, but he got up immediately while the wranglers soothed the horse and brought him back in.  Sloan on the other hand brushed off his hat and stomped over to me. When he reached me, he grabbed the upper part of my arm and dragged me along behind him. 

            Even though I’d dug my heels in, he was able to pull me out of the arena, past the livestock pens, and into a shaded spot that was away from the main drag. 

            I yanked out of his grasp and rubbed at my arm.  I was so angry I couldn’t form the words to tell him off. 

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?  You made me lose!” He glared at me, taking a step closer.

“I made you lose?! No, you did that on your own. You’re the one who fell. I did nothing but watch,” I said.  My back hit the wall behind me and I realized I’d backed up away from him.  Refusing to let him scare me, I set my feet shoulder width apart and stared him down.  But my eyes wanted to do a study of him and make sure he was all right.  He’d taken such a hard fall.

            “If it hadn’t been for you watching me, I wouldn’t have fallen.  Why are you here?” He took another step closer.  His toes bumped mine and he put his face into mine.

            I shoved my hair away from my face.  “I came to see you win.  What did it look like?  I knew you were disappointed that Maggie and my dad couldn’t come watch, so I came.  But don’t worry about it.  I won’t do it--”

            I was cut off when his mouth came down on top of mine.  At first I was frozen in place, but before long my eyes fluttered closed and I brought my arms up around his neck.  He made a sound that was a cross between a groan and a moan. His hands grabbed my hips and yanked my closer, pressing his body against mine.

            My head spun and my pulse bounded in my throat as he pulled back to give us a chance to take a breath, but I dragged him back to me again.  His mouth met mine and he pushed me so I crashed into the wall behind me.  My body was crushed between his and the wall, but I didn’t care.

            He moved his mouth to my throat and I tilted my head, enjoying the sensations of his tongue running down my neck and along my collarbone.  His hands slipped under my shirt, but stayed at my waist, his thumbs running circles over my skin and driving me crazy.

            As if from a fog I heard his name being called, but neither of us seemed to care.  When we heard it again, he groaned and pulled back, but only enough to look and see who was calling him.  A brief second later, he cursed, dropped his hands and took three huge steps backward.  I kept my eyes glued to the ground as my emotions and body tried to adjust itself to what had happened and what I needed to do now.

Teaser Tuesday: It's Complicated

This is an excerpt from my latest WIP.  It's about a girl from Wisconsin, who moves down to be with her father in Florida who just remarried.  Now she has to adjust to living in a new place, with her step mother and step brother, let's see how she does, shall we?   

Please note that this is a really rough draft.  There are--I'm sure--grammatical errors and it needs a lot of fluff and the characters need more development, but you'll get the general idea. :)

CHAPTER ONE

They always tell you that the world is your oyster, but they never said anything about the pearl.  And really what was a pearl except for a small irritation that turned into something so precious and rare, millions sought after it.  The same can be said about love.

            Why that thought ran through my head as I boarded the plane to go to my father’s house, I didn’t know, but it was a nice thought anyway.  The plane was filling quickly with people and I doubted the seat next to me would remain empty for very long.  Bored, I looked around at my fellow passengers, but stopped when I saw a boy, about my age, two rows back on the opposite side.  His sun-streaked brown hair was a disheveled mess on top of his head, but in such a way that I knew it was done on purpose.  He had a set of headphones in his ears and he bobbed his head as he rooted around in his bag. 

            He must’ve felt me staring at him, because he looked up and then glanced around until he saw me.  He lifted one brow and returned my gaze, which made my heart stutter, but I didn’t look away.  Instead I smiled, and gave him a little finger wave.  He gave me a lopsided grin in return, showing off the dimple on the right side.

            A man wearing blue jeans, a blue and white-stripped shirt and suspenders stepped in front of me, blocking my view.  I let my gaze drift upward and groaned inwardly when the man smiled at me, showing yellowed and missing teeth.  His face was dark with the stubble of his unkempt beard and even with the space of the seat between us, I could smell a mixture of sweat and something worse I couldn’t place.  I fought the urge to cover my nose, and breathed through my mouth instead.  It didn’t really help.

            “Hi there, little missy,” the man said.

            I gave him a weak smile and nodded instead of answering.

            “Is this seat taken?”

            I stared at him.  I didn’t know what to do.  If I told him yes and then no one showed up, he’d get angry and I didn’t know what would happen.  On the other hand, if I said no, I’d be stuck not being able to breath for the whole trip.  I cursed my mother for being cheap and buying me a ticket on the one airline that let you choose your own seats. 

            I was saved from answering when a male voice said, “Yes it is.”  Suspender man and I turned toward the voice, and the boy that had been across from me smiled.  “I was afraid I wasn’t going to find you, Sweetheart.” 

Sweetheart?  I raised a brow, but played along.  “I was getting worried, too.  You’re very late.  I thought maybe you were going to miss the flight.”

Amusement shown in his eyes as he turned to Suspender Man, gave a quick nod of his head and slipped into the seat next to me, before he kissed my cheek and went back to rooting around in his backpack. 

Suspender man stared at me for a moment before lumbering off and finding a seat elsewhere.  I felt bad for whoever would have to sit next to him, but was happy that it wouldn’t be me.

My cheek was still warm where the boy had kissed me and I lay my hand against it, absently.  “Thank you.”

He grinned and the dimple flashed again.  “Not a problem.  But now you owe me a favor.”

I chuckled.  “A favor?”

“Yep.  The damsel in distress always grants the knight in shinning armor a favor.”

“I see.  Okay.  So, what favor is it that I owe you?”

“Your name.”

“My name?”  I’d been expecting a kiss or something and this had thrown me completely off balance.

“Yep.  Unless of course you want me to continue to call you sweetheart.”

I mentally shook myself to get my mind flowing properly.  “Mackenzie, but I go by Mac.”

“Well, Mac, I’m Sloan and I’ll be providing the entertainment for today’s flight.”

I did the one thing I promised myself I’d never do because of a boy.  I couldn’t help it.  I giggled.  “Pleased to meet you.”

He set his bag under the seat in front of him, but didn’t read the book he’d pulled out.  Instead he tapped it against his knee as he stared at me and I noticed his eyes were a tawny brown and matched his bronzed skin perfectly.  I’d heard eyes could be that color, but had never actually seen it. 

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “You have beautiful eyes.”

He winced.  “Thanks,” he said, and turned his attention to his book.

Cursing myself for not having control of my brain-mouth function, I watched out the window until the plane had taken off, the attendants did their thing, and the seatbelt light had flicked off before finding the courage to apologize. 

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

He slid his finger between the pages before speaking.  “It’s alright.  Everyone always comments on my eyes.  I should be used to it by now.”

He went back to the book, but I wasn’t going to give up just yet.  “I get it all the time, too.”

He glanced up, narrowed his eyes, and then smiled.  “I’ll bet you do.  What color are they?  Blue?  Or purple?”

I shrugged up, but lowered my head and peered up at him through my lashes, fluttering them slightly.  “Depends on my mood.  Right now, I’d say blue, but if you make me angry you’ll get to see purple.”

He dog-eared a page and slid the book between him and the seat.  “So what’s the quickest way to make you angry?”

I grinned and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.  “Fortunately there isn’t much.  I’m pretty even tempered.  Unlike my mom.” I rolled my eyes.  “She’s part Irish and has the famous temper.”

“Sounds like my dad,” he said.  “He’s got a wicked temper.  That’s why my parents split.”

I nodded in complete agreement.  “Yep.  Same here.   My mom has a way of turning any argument around on you.”

            He turned in his seat slightly, lifting the armrest between us so he could rest his leg on the seat.  “Your parents divorced too?”

            I turned to face him and our legs bumped.  “Uh, huh.  I’m going to visit my dad.  He just got remarried. I couldn’t make it for the wedding.  I’d have missed a week of school and my mom put her foot down.”

            “You, too, huh?  Must be something in the air.”  He rolled his eyes.  “My mom just got remarried.  I went to my dad’s while they went on their honeymoon and then my mom thought it would be a good idea to spend the summer with him, to get to know him better.”

            “I take it you didn’t want to go,” I said, noticing the look he’d had when he said it.

            “No, I didn’t.  I wanted to stay at home, but he—my stepdad—thought I should go see my dad and convinced my mom I should too.  So, I was shipped off without even a backward glance,” he said.

            “You don’t like your dad?”

            “No.”  It was said bluntly, without even a hint of emotion in it. 

            I wanted to know more, but knew it was better to wait until he volunteered the information.  If he did, that was.  “I’m sorry.” 

I moved to look back out the window, but he asked, “Do you like your dad?”

I smiled as memories of being pushed on swings and playing baseball in the backyard came to mind.  “Oh yeah.  He’s the best.  I don’t blame him for leaving.  My mom can be a real pain.”

            “So, why don’t you live with him instead of her?”

            I wrinkled my nose.  “School.  My mom didn’t want me taken out before the end of the year. And then she wanted me to stay with her for the summer, but I ‘intruded on her social life’, so she decided to let me have my way and move back with my dad.”

            “So, you’re moving to be with him now?”

            I shrugged.  “Yeah.  I’m hoping it works out.”

            He frowned.  “If he’s that great, why wouldn’t it work out?”

            I made a face.  “My new stepmom.”

            “What’s wrong with her?”

            “Besides the fact that she’s with my dad?”

            He laughed.  “Yeah, besides that.”

            “She took my dad from me,” I mumbled and started down at my hands, which I’d clasped in my lap.

            “What do you mean?”

            “I used to live with him, but then he met this woman at some conference and a few months later he’s moving down to be with her and I’m being shoved at my mom so I can finish school.”  My teeth clenched toward the end, and I had to force my jaw open to finish.

            “Why didn’t she move up to where you lived?”

            “Because she’s a selfish blonde bimbo,” I said with a shrug.

            “What?  Why do you say that?”

“She refused to leave. So he left me to be with her.  He left everything to be with her.”

            “That sucks,” he said, but smiled up as the flight attendant asked if we wanted something to drink.  He waited until she brought us our soda and then leaned over to me again.  “I’m sorry.”

            I shrugged.  “Nothing I can do about it.”

            “My mom got married pretty quickly too, but we didn’t have to move.  Not that she would have.  Our house has been a part of our family for generations. He moved in with us.  She met him at work.”

            “So, how come you don’t like him?”

             “Besides he married my mom?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

            I laughed, despite myself.  “Yeah, besides that.”

            “He’s a jerk. And he’s got city written all over him.”  He sneered at the word city.

            I crossed my arms over my chest.  “What’s wrong with the city?”

            He chuckled.   “I take it you’re a city girl.”

            “And proud of it,” I said, my own smile tickling the corners of my mouth, despite the slight feeling of insult his comment had given me.

            He tapped his book on his knee again.  “I didn’t mean to insult you.  It’s just that he thinks because he lived in the city he’s better and smarter than me.  He treats me like a kid and is constantly telling me what to do, how to behave.  He pretends to take an interest in my grades, but he only uses it to rub it into my face that his daughter is smarter than me and I should be like her.”

            My heart broke a little and I reached over and patted his hand.  “I’m sorry.  I can’t imagine how that made you feel.”

            He went on as if he hadn’t heard me.  “Worst of all, he’s trying to be my dad.”

I cocked my head to the side.  “Why is that last one a problem?  He is, sort of.  Isn’t he?”

            “No, he’s not.  He’s just the man my mother married.  He’s nothing to me.  Therefore he can’t tell me what to do.”

            Knowing how he felt, I nodded.  “Yeah, agree completely.  What is it with stepparents?  Why do they think they can just step in and take over?”

            He shrugged.  “I don’t know. And my mom expects me to just listen to him. I don’t even know him.  Or his stupid goody two shoes of a daughter.  And to make matters worse he wants to get me into baseball and football.”  He made a face.

            I had to laugh.  “Well, don’t you want to do those things?  I thought all boys liked sports.”

            “I do like sports, but I prefer rodeo type sports.”

            It was my turn to be surprised.  He didn’t look like a cowboy.  Didn’t cowboys wear those big hats?  “Rodeo?  Like with cows and horses and stuff?”

            He smiled.  “Yeah.  I do calf roping and saddle bronc riding.”

            I swallowed as an image of him hanging on for dear life to a bucking horse filled my head.  Just the idea of getting onto a horse made my skin crawl. “And you’d rather do that than football?”

            He chuckled.  “Yeah. There’s nothing like it in the world.”

            “But isn’t that dangerous.”

            “Yeah, but that’s part of the thrill.”

            “I’ll just take your word for it.  I don’t think I want to know that kind of thrill.”

            He sent me a wicked look.  “I bet I could change your mind.”           

The corners of my mouth lifted a fraction.  “Uh, huh.  And how do you suppose you’ll do that?”

            He shrugged.  “Where in Florida are you moving to?”

            I scoured my mind for the name of the town.  “Geneva?  I think.”

            His whole face lit up.  “Yeah?  I live out there.  Going to Oviedo High?”

            Since it sounded familiar, I nodded.  “I think so.”

            “Awesome!” He bent over and yanked out his bag and yanked out his iPhone.  “What’s your number?  We’ll hang out and I’ll introduce you to my friends.  That way when school starts you won’t be the odd man out.”

            I nodded and a few of my fears about the move disappeared.  I rattled off my number as I reached for my purse to pull out my own phone, and then programmed his number into it.

            When we’d replaced our phones, he smiled and then tugged on a handful of hair that had escaped my braid.  “You called your step mom a blonde bimbo, but you have blonde hair.  Isn’t that insulting yourself?”

            I thought on it and then shrugged.  “Okay, she’s just a bimbo then.”

            He laughed and then changed the subject.  We spent the rest of the flight talking about the school, his friends, and the ranch he lived on.

            When we landed, he led the way to the trams and then past security, since he knew his way around and I didn’t.  On the other side, he smiled and waved when he saw his mom.  She was only slightly taller than me and looked like a doll.  Her mouth was a pretty pink and matched her nails perfectly.  Her eyes were the same color as her son’s and even more startling with her roses and cream complexion.

            She didn’t even notice me behind him as she swept him up into her arms and pressed a kiss to his check, smearing her lipstick across his skin.  He wiped it off with his sleeve and then turned to me.  “Mom.  This is Mac.  She’s moving here with her dad.  She’ll be going to my school.”

            She turned to me, and the smile faded.  Her lips formed a small “o” as her eyes widened, but before I could wonder about it, my dad’s voice boomed my name and I turned with a huge smile on my face.

            He picked me up and swung me in a circle before pulling me closer for his famous bear hugs.  He set me on my feet, but held me at arms length.  “Well, look at you.  You’re even prettier than when I left.”

            I grinned.  “Thanks, Daddy.” He let go and I turned around to introduce him to Sloan, but stopped when I saw the expression on Sloan’s face.  “What’s wrong?”

              He didn’t respond.  Instead he rolled his eyes, tossed his bag onto his back again, and tromped off toward the exit.  I raised my eyebrows and looked to his mom.  “What did I do?”

            She gave me a forced smile as my father stepped over to her, and when he slipped his hand into hers, the light bulb went off on top of my head.

 Sloan’s mother was my new stepmother.  Which meant Sloan was now my stepbrother.