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 #29 (8.2) by Julie Lynn Hayes
The reason for Ben’s words became apparent as they approached the overly large bridge that bisected Lake Pontchartrain. Ryan groaned. Oh no, not again. Why hadn’t he bothered to find out where Thibodaux was? At least he would have been better prepared for this.
He swallowed hard, determined not to be the baby he’d been the last time. Bad enough Ben had witnessed his panic. He didn’t want to add insult to injury by embarrassing Ben in front of Aiden and Abby, although he wasn’t sure he could pull that off since he felt close to freaking out again at the sight of the bridge.
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Here Kitty Kitty: Chapter 15.2 by Carol Pedroso
While everyone was finding their seats Simon leaned lose to Kitryn. “If you two grew up together then how is she a grandmother already? Surely she is in her thirties like you?”
Kitryn huffed out a low laugh. “She is. When she met her mate he already had children from a previous relationship. And he is fifteen years her senior. Once mated she took his children as her own and so his grandchildren are hers too. The mother of his children died before their mating so there was no one to challenge her rights as a parent.
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Denied Chapter: Fifty-nine by Cia Nordwell
“The sub-routines I just blasted were to keep him from becoming autonomous, even if he was self-aware. A glitch would be introduced anytime he tried to question the motives or directives of the people giving him orders, and he’d get stuck in a loop until he stopped. His brain would eventually figure out the pattern of the sub-routine, the triggers, and work to avoid them.”
“Someone’s very smart,” I said.
“Yes, but I’m better than smart.” Freska touched the back of her hand to Danie’s. “We’ll keep you safe.”
“What use would they have for an army of cloned male
Adrift: Chapter 15 by J. Alan Veerkamp
The first thing Arad did was rename the ship. Ansariland had a nice ring to it.
But to make it official on the operating system, he had to open the ship’s technical files and find the correct protocols, many of which had been restricted. That didn’t seem to be a problem any more. Schematics of every system were at his perusal. A tech’s wet dream. The first day he did little more than read up on all the areas he’d been barred from up until now.
Swarthy jazz pumped through the hallways via the ship-wide speakers as he dropped a noodle packet into a bowl inside the cooker.
Wednesday Briefs 