Tuesday, September 26, 2023

September Vignette - Virgo the Zodian

Posted by: Linda Mooney

September

            Penni continued to stare at the computer screen. She’d taken two breaks and gotten herself a soda from the vending machine in the lounge, hoping they would clear her head, but she still couldn’t crack this blasted code.

            A glance at the clock in the corner showed it was nearly nine p.m., and she groaned. “Give it up for tonight, girl. Go home, let the old brain cells rest, and tackle it again tomorrow.”

            She closed out the program and shut down the computer. She didn’t have to look around the office or peek over cubical walls to know she was the only occupant left on this floor. It was okay with her. She didn’t mind working past normal quitting time. She didn’t get paid overtime. She was straight salaried. She did so because it was in her nature. She enjoyed her job, and she enjoyed working.

            After all, with no one to go home to, what would be the point? she thought to herself as she got into the elevator and took it down to the main lobby.

            Stan, the night guard on duty, glanced up from his paperback book when the elevator dinged and the doors opened. He tossed her a smile when he recognized her.         “Another late night, eh, Penni?”

            “Unfortunately, a fruitless one,” she admitted with a sigh. “I’m hoping a good night’s sleep will re-energize my brain cells so I can tackle that damn algorithm with a fresh perspective in the morning.”

            “Good idea. Need an escort to your car?”

            “I’ll be fine. Thanks.”

            The man gave her a wave. “Have a good rest of the night! Sleep tight!”

            She walked out to the parking lot, knowing the man would be watching her until she safely got into her vehicle. Sliding under the wheel, she locked her door before starting the engine. What followed was like a little ritual for her: lock, start, seatbelt, kiss.

            She smiled at the small wheat amulet hanging from her rearview mirror. Pressing a kiss to her forefinger, she touched the amulet then put the car into gear.

            It was a twenty-five-minute drive to her apartment if the traffic wasn’t heavy. This time of night, it wasn’t. Combined with the fact that she was beginning to feel exhaustion creeping up on her, she took the chance and pressed down on the accelerator, hoping to trim a few minutes off that time.

            A yawn caught her by surprise. Giving her head a shake, she completely missed seeing the vehicle parked on the side of the road with its lights off until after she whizzed past it. Less than a second later, red and blue lights went off on its hood, and the police car pulled onto the road behind her.

            Penni uttered a choice word and slowed. Pulling her car into the parking lot of a Save U Rite, she stopped and shut off the engine. From her side mirror, she watched as the patrol car eased up behind her, lights still flashing. A single figure got out and slowly approached.

            “Good evening. I’m Officer Oratami with the Weyr Police Department. May I please have your driver’s license and proof of insurance?”

            Wordlessly, she handed him the two items she’d placed in her lap, knowing he’d be asking for them. In the glare from the nearby light pole, she could see the man’s face. He was young, but he had that air about him that told her he wasn’t a rookie.

            “Ms. Stollings, do you know why I pulled you over?”

            “Yes, sir. I was speeding.”

            He nodded. “You were doing sixty-five in a fifty. Is there an emergency or some valid reason why you were going that fast?” He sounded professional. Calm. Maybe a little bit bored. It made her wonder how long he’d been on his shift.

            Penni shook her head. “No, sir. I’m on my way home. It’s been a very long day, and I’m tired. I have no excuse, really.”

            “How long a day has it been?” he inquired, curious.

            She checked the clock on the dash display. “I reported to work around seven-thirty this morning, so it’s been over fourteen hours.”

            “A fourteen-hour shift, eh? Where do you work?”

            “At Greenbelt.”

            He appeared surprised. “I didn’t know people who worked there worked such long hours.”

            She managed a weak smile. “Actually, I enjoy my job. I often work extra hours, even though I’m on straight salary.”

            “You’re a go-getter?” he gently teased. “Trying to climb that corporate ladder?”

            “Nope,” she honestly admitted. “I just like my job.”

            “If you don’t mind me asking, how does your family take to all these late nights?”

            Taking a deep breath, she let it out with a loud sigh. “I’m on my own. No family. Well, except for Pickles.”

            “Pickles?”

            “My cat.”

            “Ah.” He held up the driver’s license and insurance card. “Give me a minute or two to check to make sure you’re legit. I’ll be right back.” Without waiting for her to respond, he strode back to his vehicle. She was able to watch him consult with the computer in his car. As he promised, he was soon back.

            “You have a remarkably clean record, Ms. Stollings. Not even a speeding or parking ticket.” He slowly shook his head. “Either you’re very lucky you haven’t been caught before now, or this is truly your first infraction.”

            He held out her credentials to give back to her. She reached up to accept them when she saw the name tag above the breast pocket: V ORATAMI.

            Plucking the cards from his fingers, she was about to place them in the side pocket of her purse when she caught him staring inside her car. More specifically, at or out the front windshield. She turned her head to see if she could detect what had caught his attention, but there didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary happening.

            “Miss?” the officer asked and pointed. “What is that?”

            That’s when she realized he was talking about her amulet. “Oh, this?” Lifting it from where it hung, she held it out to him. He took it almost reverently and laid it in his palm. “It’s my amulet.”

            “My mother had one exactly like it,” he commented, running a thumb over the surface. “Is this one made of wheat, too?”

            “Yes. I got mine from my mother. I guess if I ever get married and have children, I’ll pass it along to one of them.”

            “If you don’t mind me asking you this, and you don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to, but was anyone in your family a Virgon?”

            She wasn’t aware of her gasp of surprise until she saw his eyes widen. “Y-yes. I’m a Virgon. So was my mother. How do you know about—”

            “My mother is a Virgon.” He tapped his chest and smiled. “That makes two of us.” He chuckled. “Now it makes sense why you work all those extra hours and such. I’m guilty of the same thing. I’ll work a double shift anytime we’re shorthanded. I guess you could say we Virgons are gluttons for punishment.”

            The comment made her smile. “Mom used to say the same thing. She said it was a personality trait we’re born with.”

He gave a one-shoulder shrug. “That, and a few other traits.” The officer returned the amulet to her, adding, “I have one almost exactly like it in my squad car. I never go on shift without it.”

            She couldn’t help herself but to ask, “When is your shift over, Officer Oratami?”

            “Shift change is at ten o’clock. I get off then, but I still have to write a few reports before I can call it a day.” He stared at her, and she got the impression he wanted to ask her why she wanted to know. She chose to answer his unspoken question.

            “I usually order a pizza after I get home when I work late. How do you like yours?”

            Oratami didn’t seem surprised by her invitation. A few seconds of silence passed before he replied. “Do you get it on a whole wheat crust?”

            “Of course.”

“I’ll eat it with any kind of topping as long as it’s not anchovies or pineapple.”

            She turned her head, looking away from him when she smiled. “I’ll leave the entry light on.”

            He straightened. “If I let you go with just a warning, I won’t have to fill out a report, and it won’t go on your spotless record.”

            “Sooo, when do you think you’ll be by to help me eat it?”

            “Eleven…ish?”

            She nodded. “Sounds good to me. I’ll be waiting.” Finally looking back up at him, she added, “Thank you, Officer Oratami.”

            “Vince. My first name’s Vince.”

            “Nice to meet you, Vince. Until later?”

            He stepped back to let her depart. From her rearview mirror she noticed he remained standing there in the parking lot, watching her as she drove away.

            Oddly enough, she discovered she was no longer tired or sleepy. She was excited, a bit apprehensive, but happy to have found one of her own kind.

            “Or would that be he’d found one of his own kind?” she wondered aloud.

            It didn’t matter. Their meeting, although accidental, had to have been preordained.

            After all, it was just another one of their traits.

Monday, September 25, 2023

HERE BE NEWS for Monday September 25, 2023

Posted by: PG Forte

 

 




 Monday September 25, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:



Thursday September 21, 2023:  PG Forte debuts the playlist for her novel, Scent of the Roses.

                          
                           


 

Scent of the Roses

Oberon Book 1.0

PG Forte


For years, Scout Patterson has tried to run from the mistakes in her past.  Now, she's coming home--to face the ghosts she's never laid to rest, and the love she thought she'd lost forever.  Reawakening that love would be a dream come true.  Unfortunately, love is not the only emotion that can last forever. 

Memories and dreams are the only things that have gotten Nick Greco through the past twenty years.  Memories of the girl he loved and lost, and dreams of what his life would be like, if he could only find her again.   And if he can bring himself to believe that anything she tells him is true.

 Can the star-crossed lovers put aside the hurt and distrust they still harbor toward each other?  Or will the evil which already nearly destroyed them once, triumph yet again?

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Can You Hear the Music?

Posted by: PG Forte


 So, the 20th anniversary edition of Scent of the Roses--my first published book--is set to release on Monday--woo-hoo! (Actually, the paperback is available now, but that's beside the point). And to celebrate, I've spent the last couple of weeks compiling a monster playlist to accompany it. 90 songs, almost 6 full hours of music. You can basically crack open the book, press play and go!

If you're interested, the link is here:  

https://tinyurl.com/Scent-of-the-Roses-Playlist





Scent of the Roses
Oberon Book 1.0

For years, Scout Patterson has tried to run from the mistakes in her past.  Now, she's coming home--to face the ghosts she's never laid to rest, and the love she thought she'd lost forever.  Reawakening that love would be a dream come true.  Unfortunately, love is not the only emotion that can last forever. 

Memories and dreams are the only things that have gotten Nick Greco through the past twenty years.  Memories of the girl he loved and lost, and dreams of what his life would be like, if he could only find her again.   And if he can bring himself to believe that anything she tells him is true.

 

 Can the star-crossed lovers put aside the hurt and distrust they still harbor toward each other?  Or will the evil which already nearly destroyed them once, triumph yet again?


https://books2read.com/ScentRoses


Also, a quick reminder that the quarterly ZoeBub, Stuff-Your-E-Reader event is taking place NOW!


https://www.romancebookworms.com





Monday, September 18, 2023

HERE BE NEWS for Monday September 18, 2023

Posted by: PG Forte

 

 




 Monday September 18, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:




Thursday September 14, 2023  Author Deborah A Bailey discusses how and why authors might want to sell books directly to their readers in this informative post.



 It's time for another Fill-Your-E-Reader event from Romance Bookworms! This time it's a gigantic THREE-DAY affair with over 2400 books--all of which have never been featured in this event before. 





                            

The Lady and the Rogue

Ruth A Casie


Feisty and passionate. He’ll enjoy making her fall in love with him… or die trying.

In the shadowy depths of London, Lady Euphemia Brandt, a renowned concert pianist, is mistaken by an English nobleman for his intended rendezvous. She defends herself, losing her reticule in the process. Reluctantly, she takes coins from her attacker and secures a carriage home. Their eyes lock, and they share a searing kiss, altering their lives forever.

At an affair honoring the Prime Minister, Euphemia discovers that the rogue who accosted her is a much sought-after, wealthy member of society. Struggling to resist his attraction, she battles memories of their kiss.

Cayden Whitford, the Duke of Thornton, seeking a woman with vital information, mistakes Euphemia for his contact and is surprised by her swift blow and the ensuing kiss. Intrigued, he vows to find her. At a dinner party, Thornton learns she is the daughter of the Prime Minister’s trusted advisor. He presents himself as a suitor to her father in order to discover her allegiance.

As Thornton unravels Euphemia's wit, logic, and passion, his initial mission falters. He’s fallen in love with her.

Release Date – September 2023

Buy: Amazon




Thursday, September 14, 2023

Should Authors Sell Direct?

Posted by: Deborah A Bailey

When you're selling your books "wide," consider all the ways readers can find you. One way is for you to sell your books directly to your readers.

Platforms that you can use for direct sales include: Payhip, SendOwl, Shopify, and WooCommerce.

Some authors may want to sell directly from their site. In that case you'll only need software for a cart and payment processing.

With sites like Payhip, you upload your files and they take care of the payment processing. It's relatively easy to connect your Paypal account (or other payment processor). So, when sales are made the money goes right into your bank account. 

When it comes to getting your books to your customers, it's similar to selling your books on the major bookseller sites. For instance, Payhip can be connected to Bookfunnel to deliver books and audio files. Since many of your readers may already have Bookfunnel accounts, they won't have to do anything special. They'll make their purchase and receive an email, or notification, to download their book.

If you have audio books for sale, you can also sell them using these platforms. There are a lot of options! Once you've set up your direct sales method, let your newsletter subscribers know about your store. 

It's much easier to sell direct these days. However, selling direct doesn't mean you can't sell your books on sites like Amazon and B&N. It's just one more way to connect with readers and sell more books.

Monday, September 11, 2023

HERE BE NEWS for Monday September 11, 2023

Posted by: PG Forte

 

 




 Monday September 11, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:


                     




New!

WET
Aftermath, Book 2
Apocalyptic Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 56.9K
$3.99 e / $10.99 p

It has been raining for days on end all over the world. The inundation is causing blackouts, severe flooding, homes going underwater, as well as entire coastal towns disappearing.

When will it stop?

Wylie Barraga and his dad, Cesar, are hoping for the best but planning for the inevitable, packing up whatever supplies they can find and readying their bass boat to launch. When Wylie’s girlfriend, Gwen, and her sister, Harper, call for help, Wylie and Cesar come to the rescue. Before long, water starts filling the house, and the group knows it’s time to head for higher ground.

Supplies are dwindling and becoming harder to find with everything submerged in the quickly rising water. Emergencies bring out the worst in people, and it doesn’t take long until it becomes survival of the fittest. But people have to work together to survive, and there are a few good ones left, ready to band together and look out for each other.

Who can they trust?

Is there a scientific explanation for the unending deluge, or is it divine intervention? Loyalties are tested. At times like this family means everything, or to some it means nothing at all. There’s nothing like the possible end of the world to bring out a person’s true feelings and personality.

Wylie and Harper are banking on love and humanity to win out.

Warning! Contains a lost walkie-talkie, rain rain rain rain and more rain, Star Wars bandages, lots of improvisation, the need for coffee, a stroke of luck, ewww oatmeal, a drum, and one man realizing his mistake in time to find the woman he truly loves.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/Aftermath.htm 


           

Pick up Edge of Heaven for FREE--now through September 25.


It was a reckless act of passion that ended Edge's life and left him in Limbo--literally. Now, he's stuck here. While most of the other angels-in-training move quickly up the celestial ladder, Edge knows it can never be that simple for him. He's dealing with issues that are a lot more complicated than a simple lack of closure.

While Edge doesn't know for sure what it will take to get him into Heaven, there is one thing he's certain won't help; that would be his latest assignment guiding angel-baby Matteo Matinucci while the newbie find his wings.

But twenty-something Mattie--sexy, beautiful, recently departed and openly gay--could turn out to be the answer to all of Edge's prayers, as well as the fulfillment of all his fantasies, even the hot, sweaty, secret ones he's never confided to anyone.

Get it here: https://books2read.com/EdgeHeaven 
 



Wednesday, September 6, 2023

New! WET, Aftermath, Book 2, an Apocalyptic Romance by Linda Mooney

Posted by: Linda Mooney

New!

WET
Aftermath, Book 2
Apocalyptic Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 56.9K
$3.99 e / $10.99 p

It has been raining for days on end all over the world. The inundation is causing blackouts, severe flooding, homes going underwater, as well as entire coastal towns disappearing.

When will it stop?

Wylie Barraga and his dad, Cesar, are hoping for the best but planning for the inevitable, packing up whatever supplies they can find and readying their bass boat to launch. When Wylie’s girlfriend, Gwen, and her sister, Harper, call for help, Wylie and Cesar come to the rescue. Before long, water starts filling the house, and the group knows it’s time to head for higher ground.

Supplies are dwindling and becoming harder to find with everything submerged in the quickly rising water. Emergencies bring out the worst in people, and it doesn’t take long until it becomes survival of the fittest. But people have to work together to survive, and there are a few good ones left, ready to band together and look out for each other.

Who can they trust?

Is there a scientific explanation for the unending deluge, or is it divine intervention? Loyalties are tested. At times like this family means everything, or to some it means nothing at all. There’s nothing like the possible end of the world to bring out a person’s true feelings and personality.

Wylie and Harper are banking on love and humanity to win out.

Warning! Contains a lost walkie-talkie, rain rain rain rain and more rain, Star Wars bandages, lots of improvisation, the need for coffee, a stroke of luck, ewww oatmeal, a drum, and one man realizing his mistake in time to find the woman he truly loves.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/Aftermath.htm 

Monday, September 4, 2023

HERE BE NEWS for Monday September 4, 2023

Posted by: PG Forte

 

 




 Monday September 4, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:



Tuesday August 29, 2023: Linda Moody treats us to another vignette: Leo the Zodian


        


During the month of September, you can get both e-books of this sensuous paranormal romance duology for just 99c each!

But only on my website!
(Just click on "Buy ebook from my site.")
Use Discount Code Word: JEWELS


Saturday, September 2, 2023

Bring It Back(list) - CUT GLASS: JEWELS, a Sensuous Paranormal Romance Duology by Linda Mooney

Posted by: Linda Mooney

During the month of September, you can get both e-books of this sensuous paranormal romance duology for just 99c each!

But only on my website!
(Just click on "Buy ebook from my site.")
Use Discount Code Word: JEWELS


Tuesday, August 29, 2023

August Vignette - Leo the Zodian by Linda Mooney

Posted by: Linda Mooney

Leo 

            Seeing the coast was clear, Linsie took the moment to pull her lip gloss from her pocket. Using the back of a spoon to check herself, she quickly swiped the tube over her lips.

            A familiar form suddenly appeared from around the catering truck and waved to her. Replacing the spoon, she casually slipped the tube back into her pocket.

            “Hey, Lins!”

            “Hey, Shandra.”

            “Glad you could make it. Help me with these pastries, would you, please?”

            Linsie followed the caterer over to the truck where she was loaded up with two trays.

            “I was afraid you weren’t going to make it,” the woman remarked.

            “Hey. So what if it’s Saturday night. I had nothing on my calendar. And your offer was too tempting to resist.” Linsie flashed her boss an honest smile.

            Shandra rolled her eyes as she unshelved two trays for herself. “I don’t suppose getting to rub elbows with movie stars might have something to do with you agreeing to this gig, would it?”

            Linsie snickered. “Are you insinuating I might be star struck?”

            “Girl, I got just two words for you. Clark. Gable.”

            Linsie groaned as Shandra laughed out loud.

            “Clark Gable’s dead,” Linsie reminded the woman.

            “I know, but I also know how smitten you are with all those old movies of his. And after all the times I’ve had to listen to you blather on about how debonair and swoony that man is, I have every right to rag you about your obsession.”

            They took a set of stairs leading up to what appeared to be an open balcony or patio. The going wasn’t hard, but climbing with arms loaded was a chore.

            “So who all do you know is going to be here?” Linsie challenged.

            “What do you mean?”

            “You said we’d be hobnobbing with movie stars. Who movie stars?”

            Shandra paused to both catch her breath and to look back at her. “You don’t know where we are, do you?”

            Deadpanned, Linsie replied, “We’re in an area of Los Angeles known as Beverly Hills. More specifically, at twenty-one-oh—”

            “I meant, do you know whose home this is?”

            “No.”

            Giving her a wide grin, Shandra turned and continued climbing. “You’re gonna thank me later when you do.”

            When they reached the top of the stairs, a man in a suit and tie, and an obvious earpiece in one ear, stopped them. Shandra handed her trays over to the man in order to produce her credentials. After clearing them to enter, he gave the trays back to her and stepped aside.

            “How much more do we have to bring up?” Linsie questioned, hoping there wasn’t much more. Stair climbing wasn’t the problem, but these were steep and narrow.

            “This is the last of it. The rest was delivered earlier.”

            Following Shandra across the open-air patio, she couldn’t help but stop to gaze open-mouthed at the view. With the sun setting, the valley below was draped in twilight. It made the area appear to be swathed in twinkling stars.

            “Heads up, Lins!”

            Linsie hurried to catch up. “That view’s incredible!”

            “It better be, considering what this place probably cost,” Shandra quipped. “You can unload those trays on that table over there,” she instructed with a wave of her hand.

            Setting her load onto the covered table, Linsie began setting out the hors d’oeuvres. She was almost finished when she caught movement from the corner of her eye. A hand reached out to snatch one of the desserts. Thinking it belonged to one of the staff, she automatically swatted it away.

            “No touching the food without permission!” she automatically chastised.

            “Sorry,” a deep voice apologized.

            Hearing the touch of amusement in the tone, she jerked her head up to find herself staring into a pair of golden-brown eyes across the table. In the next instant, her brain took in the face and body, and she felt herself literally shrink in embarrassment.

            “N-n-no, sir. Sorry, sir. I-I didn’t know—”

            “Don’t apologize,” he hastily reassured her with a chuckle. It was deep and resonant, and sounded truly honest. Not to mention exactly like it did on the big screen whenever she watched one of his movies. “My mother would have done exactly the same thing. In fact, she has. On several occasions.” He stuck out a hand. “Hello. I’m Brale.”

            “I know,” she replied, then blushed more furiously. “I mean, I’m Linsie.”

            He pointed to the hors d’oeuvre he’d almost absconded with. “May I?”

            “Oh, yes! Please do!”

            She watched as he picked up the cracker topped with Shandra’s special recipe foie gras and took a careful nibble. The way he did it made her giggle.

            “Go ahead and shove the whole thing in your mouth. You know you want to, and I don’t mind.”

            He did. Two chews, and an expression of rapture came over his face.

            “Oh, that is incredible,” he praised with a full mouth.

            “Isn’t it, though? It’s Shandra’s personal and private recipe. People who have us cater for them, if it’s their first time, they always ask for it on repeat bookings. But word’s gotten around, and people who book us for the first time also request it.” She grinned. “You could say our reputation’s grown by word of mouth.”

            He got the pun and chuckled again. Taking a napkin from the pile, he wiped his mouth and nodded to her. “Good one. And this foie gras is well worth the hype. You’ll definitely catch me sneaking back around to grab more of these.” Throwing her a wink, he strolled away.

            A figure hurried up behind her. “Oh, girl! Lucky you! Do you know who you just spoke to?” Shandra asked breathlessly.

            Linsie nodded. “Yep. The one and only Brale Panthera.”

            “Major A-lister,” Shandra confirmed. Moving her face closer to Linsie’s shoulder, she whispered, “You know what they say about him, right?”

            Suspicious this might be a sex joke, she was about to tell the woman she wasn’t interested, but curiosity got the better of her. “No. What do they say about him?”

            “That he’s the least vain man in Hollywood. Very reclusive. Very private.”

            She turned to give the woman a curious stare. “He’s the what?”

            Smiling, Shandra eyed what they could see of the house’s interior. “Look around for yourself. There are no mirrors, no shiny surfaces of any kind. Even the plate glass doors are treated. No way to even see his reflection. Weird, huh?”

            “Uh, yeah. It is.” Linsie snorted. “So what are you telling me? That he’s a vampire or something who can’t see his reflection?”

            The woman gave her a derisive eye. “It’s definitely odd, considering his face is all over the place. They even say he doesn’t allow mirrors in his trailer for the makeup artists to use. Isn’t that crazy? You almost done here?”

            “Yeah. Just about. What ‘cha got next for me?”

            “Check to make sure there’s enough tableware set out.”

            “Cups and glasses, too?”

            “Those, too. Thanks.” The woman shuffled away, carrying the empty trays with her to stack somewhere until the party was over, and they’d be used to load up the leftovers to take back to the kitchen.

            Although she had her favorites when it came to actors and actresses, Linsie had never been one to ardently follow them in the media. Although this was the first time she’d heard about Brale Panthera’s supposed “non vice,” she had to admit she’d heard whispers here and there, but she’d brushed them off as gossip. However, Shandra sounded pretty sure about it, which told Linsie there could be more than a kernel of truth in the stories.

            A random thought came to her, and she tried to shake it off. “No. It’s not possible.”

            A sound in the next room caught her attention. The next instant, she caught sight of the movie star exiting one room and entering another. Something in the way he moved…

            “Or is it?”

            Going over to where the tableware was laid out, she realized the plan she’d been debating wouldn’t work. Everything here was textured. Then she remembered the large serving spoon she’d recently used to touch up her lips. It belonged to the catering company, and it wasn’t textured.

            She went to get it from where it was sitting in the bowl of cut fruit. Slowly lifting it to where she could see herself reflected in the convex bowl, she ignored the faint feline shadow over her face and held it to where she could also look over her shoulder. At that moment, Brale left the other room and strode toward the back of the house. It all lasted about three to four seconds, but it was all the time she needed.

            Dropping the spoon back into the bowl, she took several deep breaths to calm her nervousness. “Back to work. Get your mind off of what you just saw,” she told herself, and went to count the glassware.

            She was almost finished counting when she sensed a figure coming up behind her and knew who’d returned. Smiling, she glanced over to see the man in question eyeing her as he hovered above the foie gras.

            “Back for seconds? Or thirds?”

            “May I go ahead and fill up a plate?”

            “Hey, you’re paying for it. Go right ahead.”

            She shuffled a little closer to him, enough to where she could talk without anyone else listening in. “They say you’re the least vain man in Hollywood.”

            A corner of his mouth turned upward. “I’ve heard that, too.”

            “Truth or not?” she playfully challenged him.

            “Hey, we all have our perks. I just happen to be able to afford mine.”

            “So just how long do you think you can keep your secret safe?” she bluntly asked him.

            His eyes widened as he stared at her. Linsie continued before he could speak.

            “Are there others who know what you really are? Or have you been able to slide by on your lonesome?”

            “What are you talking about?” He was suddenly nervous, defensive, and abrasive. She didn’t blame him.

            Picking up a fork, she shook it at him. “All textured. No mirrors. Nothing reflective. You may have everyone else fooled, but not those of us like you.”

            His eyes narrowed, giving him the appearance of a cornered yet vicious animal. “Miss…”

            “I’m one of you,” she hastily told him. When he softly gasped, she looked at him in surprise. “Wait a minute. You’ve never met another one of us? You thought you were the only one?”

            Brale glanced over at the patio. Seeing people coming in, he grabbed her by the arm and hurried her into the adjacent room, which turned out to be a study. Letting her go, he quickly shut the door then whirled around to face her. “There are others like me? Like us?” His mouth hung open for a moment. “What are we?”

            “We’re Leons.”

            “Leons? What?”

            “We’re Leons,” she repeated. “We’re…unique.”

            He blew a raspberry. “Boy, that’s putting it mildly.” His eyes roamed over her. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? How can I trust you?”

            “Look at my eyes.”

            He stared at her. “Okay. So?”

            “What color are they?”

            “They’re…uhhh…” His head jerked back.

            Linsie smiled. “That’s not a sure sign. There are other people, normal regular people, who have the same color eyes. But all of us Leons do. The true test, though, is our reflection.”

            “Do you…see…yourself differently in a mirror?”

            She nodded. “Oh, yeah. And people who look at our reflections do, too.”

            “Do you see me as I really am? Right now?”

            Smiling, Linsie tilted her head slightly. “Do you see me as I really am?”

            “No, but how do you know…”

            She tapped her nose. “Trust your instincts. What does this tell you?”

            Blane studied her for a moment. “Why can we see our other selves in a reflection? What are we? Freaks?”

            “No.” Linsie shook her head. “Didn’t your parents explain it all to you?”

            “My parents were human, but they loved me anyway. They’re both dead now. They died several years ago. That’s when I decided to pursue a career in the movies…” He glanced down for a couple of seconds, then back up at her. “After I found out that a photo of me doesn’t show the real me.”

            “You’re right. The camera only sees what everyone else sees, but we still must be careful about it catching our reflection.”

            “So…” He touched his nose. “I know you said we can sense each other, but how did you know for certain? Certain enough to come tell me you knew?”

            She pointed toward the table. “I used the back of one of the serving spoons that came from the caterer.”

He pointed to her. “Linsie, right?”

            “Right.”

             “Is there other stuff you can tell me about me? About us? About Leons?” He was now curious and excited. She could tell he was anxious to hear all about those like him, including their abilities that were far superior to what normal humans were capable of doing.

            “How much time do you have?” she quipped.

            A knock on the door suddenly interrupted them. He opened it to find Shandra standing there, a concerned look on her face.

            “There you are! I was getting worried!” She gave Brale an anxious look. “Is something wrong? Did Linsie do something I need to know about?”

            Turning to Linsie, Brale pointed to the woman in the doorway. “Does she…”

            Knowing he was asking if Shandra was one of them, or knew about Leons, she shook her head. “No.”

            He faced Shandra. “Everything’s fine. I was trying to coerce her to give me the recipe for that awe-inspiring foie gras, but she flatly refuses to relent.” He suddenly flashed the woman a smile. “She’ll be out shortly.” That done, he closed the door in the woman’s face, much to Linsie’s shock. “Are you available tomorrow night?” he asked.

            Surprised by the sudden shift, she shook her head. “Yes.”

            “Mind if I pick you up so we go someplace where we can talk? I gotta hear more about this.”

            “Tomorrow works for me.”

            “Great! How can I get hold of you?”

            Linsie laughed softly. “How do you know I’m not already married or have a boyfriend?”

            “Because I don’t smell him on you if you do,” he bluntly answered. “Is that weird or…”

            “It’s one of our abilities,” she informed him, tapping her nose again. “Our senses are enhanced.”

            He took a step back. “Wow,” he softly said.

            “Do you have a pen and some paper?”

            He quickly produced a pad and pen from the desk at the far end of the room. She jotted down her phone number.

            “I have to get back to my job. But feel free to come grab some more of the foie gras before it’s all eaten up.”

            “You can count on it,” Brale promised. Holding up the pad, he smiled. “And thanks for this. I can’t wait.”

            He opened the door for her. Shandra was no longer there, but Linsie hurried back to the patio. She knew the woman would harangue her for information about why she and Brale Panthera had been alone in the study together, but it didn’t matter.

            Tonight she was going to enjoy her time here and later sleep sweet dreams of what tomorrow might bring.      

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...