Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.
Trapped in Time II – Chapter 7: by Julie Lynn Hayes:
I cannot sleep for excitement. Anticipation of the joyous reunion which shall occur on the morrow courses through my veins. I tell myself I must sleep, that Vittorio will not be happy with me if I do not and he will scold me for looking like something the cat has dragged in. Even so, I cannot seem to close my eyes. I stare up into the darkness of the night sky, tracing the stars in their familiar patterns even as I draw comfort from them.
How well my father understands me. He joins me without comment or censure and sits with me beside the dying embers of our fire, while all about us slumber, and listens to me talk about Vittorio. I lean comfortably against him, my arm tucked through his, memories flowing from my tongue like vintage wine.
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Nighttime Promises – 20: by M.A. Church:
Daroshi narrowed his eyes at Bryan, a stare that had been known to make other males squirm in dread. Was he serious? Did Bryan really think he’d agree to a reward without knowing what it was? He’d have to be crazy to do that. “I repeat, what would you want?”
Bryan rolled his eyes. “And I repeat, I’ll hold that in reserve for now. You can stop giving me the hairy eyeball, too. That doesn’t work on me. I’m not afraid of you.”
They stared at one another for a full minute until Daroshi finally threw his hands up in the air.
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Controller: by Jon Keys:
I walked along. Considering the information I’d never experienced that they’d talked about at the GSA meeting. I chewed my lip quietly while we moved toward the dorms.
“What’s wrong?”
I glanced over to find Jamie looking at me. “I didn’t know there were so many different sexes. The pronoun thing was kind of odd too.”
Both of them chuckled. Then Eli explained. “Gender, not sexes. It’s about how you feel in that quiet inside you place, not your physical sex. The pronoun introductions are for the people who are transgender, they might have been born female, but feel male or even neither.”
Hope; Chapter 10: by Chris T. Kat:
Somehow Hope wiggled his way not only under my sweater but under my shirt as well, scratching my skin in his frenzy to get closer to me. I hissed and sputtered while I did my best to allow him to crawl up on my chest without ripping my skin open. When he finally settled, we were both panting.
“It’s okay, boy, it’s okay,” I repeated over and over again. Hope didn’t just tremble, he shook. In a way someone only did when truly terrified. “Did I scare you with my comment about bringing you back to your owner?”
A New Beginning – Chapter 8: by Andrew Q. Gordon:
Ryan’s anger would be beyond words if he knew my plan. He’d probably tell me I had no plan, that my intent was little more than winging it. He’d be justified too.
Barrington couldn’t be trusted to keep his word. Yes, I’d read his mind thoroughly, but that only let me see his current and past thoughts. Any new decisions would be as unknown to me as to anyone else. It had taken a bit of convincing to get him to set my plan in motion. He didn’t trust me to keep my word. No that wasn’t quite right, he didn’t believe I could.
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Lily Sawyer:
“Hey Tom, where are you?” Ben balanced the cell phone against his ear while trying to navigate through the holiday crowd at the mall.
He and Tom thought it was a good idea to wait until the Sunday after Thanksgiving to venture out to shop. Boy, were they ever wrong. While the Lancaster Mall wasn’t as insane as on Black Friday, it was still wall to wall people. They wisely decided to spend their Friday snuggled together on the living room couch watching football and a DVD afterward.
“I’m in front of JC Penney, right next to the Christmas display.”
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Noah’s New Plan – Chapter 13: by Rob Colton:
Noah spent the day looking at apartments. So far hadn’t found anything that jumped out at him.
His list of wants didn’t seem that outrageous. He didn’t know why it was so difficult. He wanted a second floor apartment with a balcony. The appliances should be new. A fireplace would be nice because he liked to curl up and read a good book in the wintertime. The main view must overlook trees or a pond, not a parking lot. And it had to be within a head librarian’s budget.
That wasn’t so impossible, was it?
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Sealed in Stone #24: by Tali Spencer:
“Your mother was right.” Willem’s voice matched the wonder in his eyes as he looked around the first chamber of Torrey’s apartment. “She told me I could never imagine the luxury in which you lived. I thought she was saying I lacked imagination. But this is… amazing.”
“Queens like show,” Torrey explained. “Displays of wealth and possessions are a form of dominance.”
He led the way into his bedchamber, which only furthered the point. Globes and veins of amber decorated the burled wood of his bedposts. Intricately embroidered coverlets draped the bed and cottonsilk carpets from distant Ybor covered the floor.
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Myths, Secrets and Love – chapter 5: by Elyzabeth M. Valey:
Rodric followed Arjä in thoughtful silent. A Centaur had joined them soon after entering the skirts of the forest and was guiding them deeper and deeper into the wilderness. His head ached. He should have gotten rid of Fergus when he had the chance. The man was nothing but trouble and if he had had any common sense he would have paid off his debt in gold and never established a friendship between them. Rodric rubbed his tired eyes. How different his life would be if he had never met Ferguson. To begin with, he wouldn’t be traipsing through a Unicorn forest.
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Take Flight: by Cia Nordwell:
“I don’t figure you’re too worried about the iron part,” Mr. Rittenhauser said. “But a shot to the chest will kill you just as quick. I see a hint of that foul magic from him and you both die.”
The older man curled his lip in disgust. “I always knew you’d be the link we needed. Filthy, unconsecrated sinners like you always draw in the demons.”
Birch blinked. “What?”
“I know! I saw the pale demon enter your window one night, like smoke from the fires of hell. No one believed me but I started watching. I got proof.
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Diventado: Becoming; by JC Wallace:
Once the drug paralyzing his body had worn off, Owen had struggled and fought for hours against the restraints holding him to the gurney. He’d screamed and yelled and pleaded until his throat was raw and his voice had given out. Nothing made sense anymore. He’d come to the hospital for a death sentence and got what? A prison sentence? He couldn’t help but think he had some highly contagious disease and was a threat to public safety. But why throw him into a dark room, alone, without an explanation? Shouldn’t they be treating him? Unless…it was too late. He was going to die alone and in the fucking dark.
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Defining Freedom #3: Grace R. Duncan:
“What were you asking about?”
He frowned and came back to stand near her. He tried to find the best way to present it, but everything he came up with sounded horrible. Finally, he blurted, “Teman is with a man.”
Kaya laughed, and Ghalib felt his cheeks burn. But before he could back away, she reached out to touch him. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you.” She appeared to fight with herself for a moment, then finally had control. “Though the number of men within our clan who are attracted to men—or women who like women—are very few, we tend not to worry too much about it.”
The Warrior with the Armor of Roses: by MC Houle:
On the top of his mountain, hands busy carving an intricate wooden sword, the God of War watched. He watched as Stone looked for Cresus, and he watched as Cresus escaped the wrath of Byrne and all of the men sent after him. And by his life, the God of War hoped to achieve the most magical magic of all, a magic that disappeared at his lover’s death. Centuries it had been, but for the God of War, it felt like yesterday everything was perfect.
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Darkest Before Dawn: by Shelly Schulz:
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Wednesday Briefs 