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
In Pieces #1 (1.1) by Julie Lynn Hayes
“When will Daddy be here?” Eight-year-old Ryan Fremont turned impatiently away from the living room window. He’d been practically glued to the spot ever since lunch, and only left when his babysitter shooed him away and told him to go play or watch TV. Mrs. Windom was also his next-door neighbor, and she’d been watching Ryan as long as he could remember—after school, and sometimes evenings and weekends. Normally, he was a very obedient charge, but today he was too excited to listen. Daddy was bringing him a surprise, and Ryan knew exactly what it was going to be.
A puppy! A little dog of his very own. That was the only thing in the world Ryan wanted, so what else could it be, right?
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Here Kitty Kitty: Chapter 8.2 by Carol Pedroso
Kitryn woke up when someone tapped on the door. There was still enough sun visible that Simon was sound asleep on the next bed.
Outside he found the same guard who’d escorted them the night before. The man bowed his head slightly and stated deferentially, “Elder Patrick asks you attend him in the meeting room. He asks the lady stay with the kits and the nightwalker.”
Kitryn had to smother a grin, nightwalker was an archaic term for a vamp and the guard was showing his age just by using it.
“Lead the way.”
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“Damn, you’re freezing. You’ll be ill. Here.”
He shucked out of his coat and wrapped it around Bran’s shoulders. Bran snuggled into its warmth with a little sigh and Owen couldn’t mourn its warmth even though the cold cut into him like knives slicing his skin.
“I don’t like being cold,” Bran announced as they picked their way along the sheep track. It was slow going as Bran had no shoes and kept complaining that his feet hurt.
An Offer I Could Not Refuse: Part 10 by Michael Mandrake
As I watched my new chile sleep, my father Eratan appeared in the room. When our gazes met, I could see the disdain, the scorn on his face. He was more than annoyed about my choice to take the vampire slayer’s son as my lover.
“I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen.”
I shook my head and looked back at my sleeping prince. His bronze skin glowed under the moonlight shining from the window. Very soon now, I would lay down with him to rest before daybreak.
Unlike me, my new lover wouldn’t be able to survive direct sun, so I’d have to hold him here until he was stronger. Although we ruled the earth, we had no handle on when we could survive certain things as sunlight. I’d developed something to make it easier for younger vamps, but it still wasn’t foolproof.
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Denied: Chapter Twenty-nine by Cia Nordwell
“What? Humans don’t bond.” Captain jerked back, and I whimpered at the loss of his touch.
“Who cares about that in this moment? Put your hand back on Kohen right now,” Aparoe ordered.
His hand was even warmer than before and shaking slightly. Or was I shaking? I couldn’t tell. But I could breathe, and the pounding in my head and ache all over my body I’d felt for the last few days started to ease. “It looks like he’s just having a panic attack. He’s had them before.”
“Has he?” Lakshou asked. “Captain Querry, since you brought Kohen on
Wednesday Briefs 