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.
The Captain’s quarters also became his war room. I had nowhere to retreat to be alone, and the stress of it was wearing on me. I went from being alone and desperately wishing for the touch, sound, and scent of other beings to freedom that was bearable only because of my small quarters, to the bliss of sharing a room with Captain for a short time.
Now, as I tried to find some small way to handle the crowd by curling into the corner of the room so two walls surrounded me and my back was safely covered, Captain, Deke,
Sweet Betrayal :Part Eight by Michael Mandrake
We left the office, fully satiated and covered in the bigots’ blood. Good thing everyone had left for the day or they would’ve been mortified.
Soon enough, everyone that worked for Garland would know who we were. They had a choice to comply or be killed. Simple as that. Neither of us liked a snitch, so we’d agreed to rid of anyone who wished to tell the populous about us very quickly.
Raviele squeezed my knee after we got in the limo. “That will be the day after tomorrow.”
Hearing Raviele say that, I bounced in my seat like a misbehaving kid. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Why the day after tomorrow?”
“We’re taking the day off.”
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Tales of the Cabin: Part 7 by Johayan
The summer had gone smoothly and fall was quickly making its presence known. The days were starting to become noticeably shorter. The frost had come early and the trees across the property were ablaze in yellows and oranges with the sumacs providing pockets of fiery red.
Word had been getting out about the ‘colony’ has it had been called and we’d had a couple of phone interviews with newspapers. They’d used stock footage of the front entrance for their stories. We had two other unmarked entrances that had security farther in from the road.
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“Bran dear,” Aggie said when they were all safely inside, “why don’t you try on some of your new things? I’d love to see what you bought.”
“But I can show you—”
“I’d rather see you wear them,” she repeated, a sharp note underlying the uncharacteristic sweetness. Bran’s eyes widened in surprise, but he shrugged and headed for the stairs, still laden with his bags and boxes.
When Owen made to follow, Aggie stopped him.
“I need your help in the kitchen,” she said, straight and to the point as ever, without any of the softness she seemed to have acquired around Bran.
In Pieces #25 (7.5) by Julie Lynn Hayes
Cameron was the epitome of casual in his rainbow-hued tie-dyed T-shirt and a pair of stone-washed jeans. A bright yellow scarf stamped with assorted fleur de lis hung about his neck; the yellow highlighted the gold flecks in his hazel eyes. He glanced with amusement at the fruit that lay on the table. “Having a snack before breakfast?”
“This is breakfast,” Ben replied.
“To each his own,” Cameron said cheerfully. “I was going to make an omelet. Care to join me in the kitchen, Ryan?”
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Adrift: Chapter 11 by J. Alan Veerkamp
“Unidentified vessel, this is First Commander Hyland Bard, Alpha One Flagship. Respond at once.”
Torrins’s arm wrapped around Arad relaxed and fell away. A fresh tension drew lines through the length of his body as he stood and stepped forward, staring at the warship without blinking.
Wednesday Briefs 