Wednesday Briefs. Catherine's Revenge Ch 11

Another Wednesday, my first since Christmas. I had a great Christmas, with lots of good, family times. The New Year was good and now we're back to reality.

This week, I'm cheating again. Imagine this prompt, not as a princess, but as a totally insane woman, in a tattered wedding dress.

Emma woke, to Tristan calling her name. She blinked open her eyes, and thought she must still be dreaming. The car was full of mist, so thick she couldn’t see anything at all. With a groan, she brought her hand up to her forehead, and winced as her fingers touched what felt like a nasty cut. They came away sticky with blood.

The mist was cold. It felt as if it was made up of tiny slivers of ice and Emma shivered. Every breath hurt, as she took the freezing mist into her lungs.

“What…what’s happening?”

“Catherine,” Tristan said, simply. “You have to get out.”

“But….”

“You have to get out, Emma. She’ll freeze you where you sit. You have to get out, before you’re too cold.”

“Ash.”

“Leave him. It’s too late. Save yourself.”

“No.” Ash’s weight was heavy across her legs, and all attempts to rouse him where fruitless. With panic making her heart hammer in her chest, Emma fumbled with the door handle. To her immense relief, the door opened.

Tumbling out of the car, with the mist swirling after her, Emma struggled to drag Ash out onto the grass.

“Leave him,” Tristan begged. “Save yourself, please.”

“Where’s my father?”

“He’s alright. He got out. I think he’s over there.” Tristan nodded toward the road. “He’s trying to get a signal on his communication device. Please, come away”

Tristan tugged at Emma’s sleeve and she turned to glare at him. “I’m not leaving my brother behind. Either help me or leave me the hell alone.”

Tristan froze, meeting her eyes with a shocked expression. Then, he apparently came to a decision, and nodded.

“Very well, I’ll try, but please don’t…. It’s too late for him, Emma. If he isn’t already dead, it will be very soon. It’s too late. There’s nothing we can do, but get as far away from here as possible,”

Emma gazed at Ash. He was motionless, his grey skin tinted blue with cold. Was he already dead? “No,” Emma growled. “I won’t let it happen. I won’t let him go. If he was dead Catherine wouldn’t be here anymore. She wouldn’t have any need to be.  For the love of God, help me.”

“I said I would.” Tristan grabbed Ash, under the arms, and hauled him out of the car. Supporting Ash against him, Tristan dragged him away from the car, and the swirling mist, laying him on the grass.

“Emma.” Emma looked up at her father’s cry. Adam came sliding down the banking from the road. “I got a signal. Help is coming. Oh, dear God; Ash.”

Adam threw himself to his knees beside his son. Wiping blood out of her eyes, Emma joined him, while Tristan hovered nervously at her shoulder.

“Is he…?” Adam asked, afraid to touch him.

“I don’t know.” Shivering at the touch of her brother’s cold skin, Emma felt for a pulse and almost passed out when she found it. It was weak, and fluttered under her fingers, but it was there. “He’s alive. We have to keep him warm.”

“Nothing can warm him, Emma,” Tristan said sadly.

“Help or leave, it’s up to you, but stop the doomsaying. I’m not leaving Ash, and I’m going to do everything in my power to save him. If you can’t accept that, get the hell out of here.”

Tristan stared at her, his mouth agape. Then he nodded. “I understand,” he said. “I will do what I can.”

“Find kindling,” Adam said, snapping back to life. “I don’t know how long it will take for help to get here. We need to build a fire. There are matches in the boot of the car. I’ll get them.”

“You should stay away from the car,” Tristan said. “Catherine’s power lingers there. I’ll get what you need.”

Adam paused, then nodded. “The keys are still in the ignition. You’ll need them to open the boot. Bring me the blue bag. Oh, and there’s a rug, and the sleeping bags. Bring whatever you can carry.

Tristan nodded, and headed for the car.

Five minutes later they were sitting huddled around a bonfire. Ash was swaddled in sleeping bags and blankets, but they had done nothing to warm him.

“Nothing you do will warm him,” Tristan said, sadly. “Nothing anyone does can warm him. It’s an unnatural cold, a poison with no antidote.”

“Why are you always so negative? You sound as if you don’t want to find a way; that you don’t want to beat her.” A thought occurred, and Emma recoiled in horror. “You’re with her, aren’t you? You’re not helping. You’re leading us deeper into her web.”

“No, no I swear it. I’ve spent three hundred years looking for a way, trying and failing, How can I not be negative, when I have failed so many times?”

“You’ve given up.”

“No. I’ll never give up; not until I see her in hell, where she belongs.”

“You don’t have to give up, do you? After Ash, there won’t be any more. All you have to do is wait.”

“Unless you have a son.”

“What? She said it’s over, that it ends with Ash.”

“She lied. It doesn’t. You’re as much a Loughbridge as he is, and if you have a son—”

“Why would she lie?”

“To fool you? To lull you? Who can say what Catherine’s motives are?”

Emma fell into silence, stroking Ash’s face and hair, the only things visible in the cocoon.

“Back in the summerhouse,” she said at last, “Catherine said you could have ended it; you could have saved them all. What did she mean?”

“Catherine twists things.”

“But there must have been a kernel of truth. Please.”

“It’s not about saving them; it’s about dooming me.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s true. I can save Ash. I could have saved them all – by binding myself to Catherine. There would be no peace for my soul, ever. We would exist in our own personal hell – for eternity.

And now, there are other tidbits, sweet flashes for your Wednesday delectation. You can find them all at the Wednesday Briefs website

M A Church - Wrapped in Leather

"Most welcome, bondage, for thou art a way, I think, to liberty."

- William Shakespeare

Hey everyone! I’m M.A. Church and I’m here to talk about my latest release, Wrapped in Leather. It’s the first in the Wrapped Up series. Wrapped in Leather is about two men exploring a relationship involving their love of leather, BDSM. One of the things Toshi has to answer for himself is: What is a submissive?

A submissive is a person who makes a conscious choice to give up some or all control of their life to another person—a Dominant or a Top. Dominance and submission is about a power exchange between two consenting adults. It is about the control within the dynamics of that relationship, whether it be a full time 24/7 relationship, or a casual meeting, or a part time arrangement.

Choosing to be submissive means to allow someone else to control your body and behavior within the preset limits you and that particular person, i.e. the Dominant, have agreed upon. Submission is not a sign of weakness; some of the most successful and strongest people are true submissives.

Submission is not about passiveness, it is not about being a doormat—most submissives are intelligent and well-balanced people just fulfilling their basic desires to submit and to give up control. Submission is not about kinky sex and whips and chains—though those things can and do play a part in our lifestyle, it is much deeper than just that, and comes from the heart. Submission is a choice, and a wonderful gift to the Dominant—it should never be entered into lightly, even in a casual situation at a party or gathering.

~Photo courtesy of Gregory Anton http://rav-photography.com/

Many thanks to the model, Ben. J

Buy link: Dreamspinner Press

Paperback: Dreamspinner Press

Release date: January 3^rd

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

  

Blurb:

To celebrate his decision to take the next step with his boyfriend Ian, Toshi Baylor plans a romantic evening at their favorite steak house. Toshi starts the special weekend with a bang by surprising Ian at home with lunch. There’s a bang all right, but it’s between Ian and another guy.

Jase Taylor’s auto repair shop and the BDSM club, Wrapped Up, keep him busy while he waits for Mr. Right, instead of Mr. Right Now. He’s a Dom, but playing with the club’s submissives isn’t providing the usual stress release. After a day from hell, he deserves a good meal at his favorite steak house.

Toshi and Jase find a mix-up with their reservations: a table for Baylor, not Taylor. When Toshi invites Jase to dine with him, they discover a mutual affection for leather and a shared belief that trust must be earned.

Before they can explore their common interests, Toshi suffers a series of attacks by vandals. Jase’s protective instincts kick in, but both wonder if it can lead to anything permanent.

Excerpt:

Jase placed his hand on Toshi’s arm, halting the smaller man. “Okay, as I was saying… Why not meet me sometime at the gym? You wouldn’t have to work out alone then, and neither would I.”

Toshi stopped hunting his car keys and looked up at Jase. “Really? I’d like that.”

Jase held his helmet under his arm. He really didn’t want Toshi to leave without knowing when he’d see him again or having some way to contact him. That alone surprised him, but he didn’t question the impulse, just went with it.

“Tell you what, let’s exchange numbers and I’ll call you… well, hell.” Jase wasn’t letting Toshi go without knowing something. “Why don’t you meet me tomorrow at three? We can work out.”

Toshi fiddled with his keys. “I, ah, yeah. That sounds good. Three it is. Just go easy on me, man. It’s been two weeks, at least, since I worked out.”

Jase zipped his leather jacket, debating how to answer, then threw caution to the wind. Better to see how Toshi would react now than later. “Going easy isn’t in my vocabulary. That’s not who I am. I push—that’s what I do. But I won’t push you any harder than what you… need.”

Toshi’s mouth opened slightly. “Oh. I, ah… I, oh. Three, right? Yes, I’ll be there.”

There was no mistaking the look of lust that flashed in Toshi’s eyes, and Jase felt himself respond. “Give me your phone.” After Jase programmed his number, he handed the cell back to Toshi. “Dress in street clothes and bring whatever you work out in. After we’re done, we can shower there, then grab something to eat or… whatever. And Toshi, I enjoyed tonight. Very much. Call me if you can’t make it.”

Jase put on his helmet and his leather gloves. He noticed the way Toshi eyed the leather he wore—that was promising—before he flipped the visor down. He looked at Toshi—both of them standing there, staring at each other. He made a point of glancing down at the front of Toshi’s pants, to where a nice bulge showed, before walking away.

Just as he started the bike, he saw Toshi hurry to his car. Jase pulled out and passed in front of Toshi’s car. He stopped, one foot on the road to balance himself. Toshi was just sitting there, doing nothing. Jase’s grin was hidden behind the visor. It looked like he had Toshi’s attention. He lifted his hand, making the motion of starting a vehicle. When Toshi’s car started, he nodded and drove off, very satisfied with what he’d seen so far.

He glanced in his rearview mirror as headlights turned in the opposite direction. He’d bet Toshi was a submissive but had no real training. That need was there, though. He’d seen glimpses of it during dinner and at dessert. It had been a while since he'd played with anyone who wasn’t in the lifestyle, but Toshi showed promise. If he wasn’t very much mistaken, they shared a common interest… leather.

Author bio:

M.A. Church lives in the southern United States and spent many years in the elementary education sector. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children. Her hobbies are gardening, walking, attending flea markets, watching professional football, racing, and spending time with her family on the lake.

But her most beloved hobby is reading. From an early age, she can remember hunting for books at the library. Later nonhuman and science fiction genres captured her attention and drew her into the worlds the authors had created. But always at the back of her mind was the thought that one day, when the kids were older and she had more time, she would write a book.

By sheer chance she stumbled across a gay male romance story on the web and was hooked. A new world opened up and she fell in love. Thus the journey started. When not writing or researching, she enjoys reading the latest erotic and mainstream romance novels.

My links:

Blog http://machurch00.blogspot.com/

Twitter @nomoretears00

Facebook: M.A. Church http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Church/173797619379487

The Harvest FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/theharvest00

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141393.M_A_Church

Lady's Destiny Cover Reveal - A R Von

Come join the celebration on fb here: https://www.facebook.com/events/178102525731861/?notif_t=plan_user_joined

BLURB

When dreams haunt you in the most delicious ways and fate pulls you into destiny’s path, what can be done other than to accept and submit to it.

Can Iria truly get what she’s always dreamed of or will it always just remain a memory? Being a rare creature such as her with exceptional beauty and rarity of existence should be enough.  Though, all she wants is her desire, her destiny… To be with a man—one man.

Are these dreams she’s having real? Could she really take on human form and become a Lady to be with the man she craves?

Dezso discovers a magical creature—a being of incredible light and peace. He is drawn to it again and again, and his feelings grow with every encounter. He carries a dark secret that he wishes never existed. The only thing that truly brings light upon his existence is the beauty that warms his heart but seems to only exist in his head—with dreams and visions of a magical woman, full of heartwarming light.

Will he ever know true love and happiness? Will he ever be able to lighten the weight and share his dark secret with another...?

Darkness is growing stronger, weakening the light and killing off what makes the world a beautiful place to live in. Enter a world of fantasy and dreams, passions and temptations. A world where dragons, unicorns, magic and mermaids really do exist. A world where love WILL conquer all!

To be released January 2014.

Bio:
A.R. was born and raised in Bronx, NY and is the oldest daughter of two girls. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science and Information Technology, which was only briefly used. She’s a mother of two entertaining teen boys (as well as a lovely fawn Chihuahua, whom she considers her furry daughter.) She’s also a wife to a delightfully handsome and amazingly funny man-beast. She loves anything dragon and fantasy related. In her free time she enjoys exercising, writing, listening to music, hiking, cooking, dancing and reading. She also loves a great adventure in and out of a book!
She writes to free her mind of its constant wondering and clutter. She thrives on the fact she can share some of it with readers that have the same passion for a great story.

Stalker links:

~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ A.R.’s Blog ~ Amazon author page ~ Pinterest ~  Tumblr ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday Briefs - Catherine's Revenge Ch 10

Another Wednesday rolls around, and a darned exciting one at that. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hopefully I will have managed to pre post and by now I'll be well fed and tipsy :) Happy Happy Holidays to all 

Today I chose There was a fire in his eyes, and the picture of the fire, just because it's cold as heck here. 

“Ash,” Emma said, tentatively. He’d stopped screaming, but was rocking back and forth, his head in his hands. “Please, Ash. It’s me Emma. Look at me.”

Taking Ash’s hands, she pulled them away from his face. He resisted, but eventually she managed to force him to look at her. Emma almost recoiled. His eyes were still white and frozen.

“Emma, please,” Tristan said, desperately. “We have to go. They’ll attack any moment. They can’t hurt me and they won’t hurt Ash, but they’ll tear you to pieces.”

“In a minute.”

Holding tight to the frozen hands, Emma stared into her brother’s eyes. “Remember me, Ash. Remember what we are. We were one the same being, the same egg inside our mother. Part of you is me, and part of me is you. I can’t lose you. I won’t. It would be losing part of myself. I’m here, Ash. Feel me.” Emma put her hand over Ash’s heart, and he jerked, as if a bolt of electricity had passed through him.

“That’s it, Ash. I’m there, aren’t I. Feel me.”

For the first time there seemed to be something behind the frozen eyes. Ash blinked and moaned.

“Come on, Ash. You can beat this. I know you can. Fight. Come back to me.”

Ash moaned again and began to shake violently. He gave a piercing cry and yanked his hands free of Emma’s to cover his eyes.

“Ash? We have to get out of here. We’re in terrible danger.”

Ash lowered his hands and Emma almost fainted with relief. His eyes were blue again.

“E-Emma?”

“Yes, it’s me. It’s me, Ash. Can you stand? We have to get out of there.”

“I…. Yes.”

Emma stood up, and tried to haul Ash to his feet. He seemed to have no strength. Tristan crouched beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. Ash jerked again, and looked up at Tristan, his eyes glazed and confused. Without a word, Tristan slipped his arm under Ash’s and hauled him to his feet. Ash swayed, but was able to stand and, with Tristan’s support, walk.

“Stay between us,” Tristan said, as they stumbled toward the door. The creatures hissed and spat at them, 

but didn’t come closer. In fact, they fell back, letting them pass.

“Why are they not attacking?”

“They dare not. If they harm Ash, Catherine will punish them, and you can imagine what kind of punishment it would be.”

“But why? If she wants Ash dead….”

“She wants him for herself. If she takes his life she gains power from him.”

“What kind of power?”

“The power to transcend death. Even though she will have wiped out the Loughbridge line, and satisfied the curse, she has no intention of eternal rest. Once she absorbs Ash’s life force, she will have the power she needs to break free of the cycle of life and death, once and for all. She will have terrible power and will not hesitate to unleash it on anyone who stands in her way.”

“In her way to what?”

“Who knows? Catherine is insane. Who knows what she’s capable of or what she might seek to achieve with that kind of power. I would rather not find out.”

“Me too.”

By this time, they had stumbled down the steps and ran, almost dragging Ash with them, back to the house.

Adam was pacing restlessly in the hall.

“Oh my god, what happened?”

“It’s a long story,” Emma said. “We have to get Ash somewhere warm.”

“This is getting ridiculous. We’ve got out of here. It’s not safe.”

“Nowhere will be safe.”

“I’d feel a lot better if we were back in civilization. Get Ash in the car.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“There’s nowhere in this house we’re going to get warm. We’ll drive to the closest hotel, and come back in the morning for our things.”

“Can you come with us?” Emma asked. “I mean, can you leave?”

“Yes. I will come.”

They loaded Ash into the car, and Adam skidded gravel in his eagerness to get the hell out of there.

“It will make no difference,” Tristan said. “You cannot run from her. She will follow wherever you go.”

“That’s as may be,” Adam said, but I’ll feel better being back on familiar territory. That house gave me the creeps from the start.”

“Oh thank you. Now you tell us.”

Emma, sitting in the back with Ash wished the car would heat faster. She was trying not to think of the fact that, no matter how warm the car became, Ash wouldn’t warm with it. She put her arm around her brother, shivering at his touch, and drew him close. He rested his head on her shoulder.

Ash rolled his head, to look up at her. “What’s happening to me?” he whispered, through blue lips.

“You’re going to be alright. I promise you’re going to be alright.”

“You cannot make promised like that, Emma,” Tristan said, turning in his seat. A fire burned in his eyes. “It is not true. It is unlikely Ash will survive.”

“Tristan,” Emma hissed, but Ash smiled.

“I know that, Em,” he said. “I feel…cold inside. Sometimes things are clear, but mostly it’s like a dream, and I’m sliding into it, more and more. I’m slipping away, and I can’t stop it.”

“Yes, you can. I won’t let you slip away. I won’t let you die.”

“There’s nothing you can do, Em. She’s too strong.”

“I won’t accept that, Ash. She may be strong, but I’m stronger, and I won’t let her take you away from me.”

Ash stared up at her, his eyes very blue.

“Jesus Christ,” Adam cried before the car swerved  violently to the side, skidded and there was a moment of sublime peacefulness, when everything hung suspended.

“Ash,” Emma cried, trying to shield her brother with her body, then there was a tremendous crash, and everything went black.

Now, go check out the other flashers here Hopefully, the new site will mean I no longer have to list every flasher individually. We'll see how it goes. Please leave a comment to let me know if it doesn't work

The Coming Storm -

The Coming Storm, By Valerie Douglas

Spanning an epic series of books, 'The Coming Storm' by Valerie Douglas takes you to the heart of a conflict between magic users, and those without magic, good and evil, love and loss. Join Ailith and Elon as they have to choose between love, duty, and everything they've battled for.

Elon of Aerilann, Elven advisor to the High King of Men, helped negotiate the treaty between Elves, Dwarves and men. He suddenly finds that fragile truce threatened from without by an unknown enemy and from within by old hatreds and prejudice. With the aid of his true-friend Colath, the wizard Jareth and the Elven archer Jalila, he goes in search of the source of the threat.

Ailith, the Heir to Riverford, fights her own silent battle. Her father has changed, but her quest to discover what changed him puts her life and very soul in danger and leaves her only one direction in which to turn. Elon.

To preserve the alliance, though, Elon will have to choose between his honor, his duty and everything for which he fought.

Amazon | Goodreads

A Convocation of Kings (The Coming Storm, #2)

Not Magic Enough (The Coming Storm, #3) (novella will be 99¢ during the blast)

Setting Boundaries (The Coming Storm, #4) (novella will be 99¢ during the blast)

Read more reviews on Amazon

Valerie Douglas is a prolific writer and a genre-crosser, much to the delight of her fans. A fan of authors of almost every genre from Isaac Asimov to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, she writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and as V.J. Devereaux, erotic romance. Who knows what will pop up down the road!

Happily married, she’s companion to two dogs, four cats and an African clawed frog named Hopper who delights in tormenting the cats from his tank.

You can find more information at Valerie Douglas Books, or at Alexandria Publishing Group.

Facebook ~ Blog ~ Twitter

And to celebrate her book blast, Valerie's lowered the price of The Coming Storm on a Countdown Deal. Head on over to the page and see what it's set and and grab your copy at the lowest price you can! Her novellas Not Magic Enough & Setting Boundaries have also been priced at $0.99 for the duration of this project.

And in January....

In January, Valerie is visiting blogs, talking books and sharing her experience. As author of more than 20 books, she's got a lot to say about indie publishing and would love to visit with you.

If you'd like to join in you can sign up here or fill the form out below

 

Wednesday Briefs - Catherine's Revenge Chapter 9

There is no fireplace in my story, no fish men and, in fact, nothing Christmassy at all. The prompt I chose...well, the one that fitted, was to include a poltergeist, and even that is somewhat strained :) However, I couldn't resist putting cheery, Christmassy pictures in, just because I can

Ash was dancing. At least, he was moving; swaying, with his eyes closed and his arms raised, as if encircling someone. All he was holding was air.

“Ash?” Emma asked tentatively, as she took a step forward. A hand on her arm stopped her.

“Wait. Something’s going on, and it’s not good. Be careful.”

Emma nodded and took another, cautious step forward. “Ash, are you okay? It’s me, Emma.”

Ash ignored her, dancing with someone that didn’t exist, a rapt expression on his face. 

Emma took another step forward. “Ash?”

Finally reaching her brother, Emma put a shaking hand on his arm and gasped. He was cold; preternaturally cold, as if there was ice in his veins, stiffening his body. At her touch, Ash shuddered and dropped his arms. He opened his eyes and it took all Emma had not to scream and run. Ash’s eyes were white, as if ice had formed across them. 

They glittered in the cold light.

“Oh God, Ash. What has she done to you?”

“He’s mine now,” a voice hissed in Emma’s ear. “Soon, my chill hand will enclose his heart and he will die. Until then, you will watch him fade, knowing there is nothing you can do to save him.”

Emma whirled and found herself face to face with a woman with long dark hair and wide blue eyes. She was dressed in a wedding dress, but it was no longer white. An ugly red stain spread from the chest to the hem and dripped onto the floor where she walked, leaving bloody footprints on the polished floor.

Laughing, Catherine pushed past Emma and pressed herself against Ash, stroking his cheek. “Dance with me, my beautiful boy,” she purred and Ash raised his arms to embrace her.

“Ash, no.”

Hands closed on Emma’s shoulders, holding her back. “No,” Tristan said softly in her ear. “Don’t touch them. You’ll be caught in the spell, too.

“But I can’t just stand here and watch her do this to him. He’s so cold. He can’t stand 

up to it for long. His body will go into shock, and he’ll die.”

“Not yet. She won’t kill him yet. She’s like a cat and likes to play with her kill. She’ll toy with him…and me.”

“You?”

“Part of this whole thing is to torment me; to punish me by having to watch my family die, one by one.”

“Ah,” Catherine said, spinning out of Ash’s arms. “The inimitable Tristan Loughbridge. I knew you’d be here.” She glared at Tristan. “You never could resist a pretty face, and I have to admit, this one is pretty. The boy is, too.” Catherine turned and stroked Ash’s cheek. “Such a pretty baby,” she cooed. Ash stood, immobile, showing no sign he’d heard her.

Turning back to Emma, Catherine gave her a cold, appraising look that made Emma shiver.

“I think he might be the prettiest,” Catherine said, “except, perhaps, for Edward. Edward was so sweet, so adorable. It was almost hard to kill him. He took such a long time to die. Who would have thought it from someone so delicate, and frail? He had a sister, too, didn’t he? As pretty as this one. What was her name?”

“Anna,” Tristan said, flatly.

“Ah, that’s right. Such a beauty. You had a dalliance with her, I recall. She quite fell in love with you. Poor Anna, she was devastated when her brother died. She really thought she could save him – with your help of course. You didn’t tell her you had the means to save him all along, and you’re not going to tell this one, are you? You’re not going to tell her that you will comfort her, lead her on, and mourn with her when he drifts away – and all the time you could have saved him. You could have saved them all.”

“No,” Tristan said, sharply.

“You made your choices. Now you have to live with them. You all have to live with them.” She turned to Ash and smiled at him, caressing his cheek and hair in a way that made Emma feel sick. “Except you, of course.”

“Leave him alone. Don’t touch him.”

Emma tried to grab Catherine’s arm, to drag her away from Ash, but as solid as Catherine’s arm seemed, it was as insubstantial as smoke in Emma’s hand.

Catherine laughed. “Oh dear, little girl, did you think you could touch me? That you could drag me away by force? Silly little thing. You see, I’m not really here. I’m in there. She tapped Ash’s forehead. I’m doing all kinds of things in there, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. Of course, you have modern medicine now, don’t you, in your shiny hospitals, with doctors and nurses. You could probably keep him alive for a while, a long while, maybe, but I’ll get him in the end, and all the time you’re holding on, all the time you think he’s calm, sleeping, inside he’ll be doing this….”

Catherine tapped Ash’s forehead again, and he crumpled to his knees. Holding his head in his hands, he rocked back and forth. Then he started to scream, and didn’t stop.

All around, the dancers took up the cry, shrieking, their lovely facades fading to reveal twisted creatures with sharp fangs and claws. Their eyes glowed in the fading light, as the illusion shattered around them and darkness fell in shards of dark glass. In every shard, a mote of white light danced, and laughed at them.

“Come on,” Tristan said, grabbing her arm. “We must leave this place. We are in grave danger. It may already be too late. Keep tight hold of my hand and we may yet escape with our lives.

“I’m not leaving Ash.”

“It is already too late for him, Emma. His end is close. Please, save yourself.”

“I’m not leaving Ash, Emma repeated stubbornly, and fell to her knees beside her tormented brother.

As usual, you now have the joy of even more free flashes by other, even better writers. So go check them out.

Victoria Adams

Jon Keys

J C Wallace

Lily Sawyer

M A Church

Chris T Kat

Grace Duncan

Tali Spencer

Andrew Q Gordon

Shelly Schulz

Rob Colton

Lily Velden

Cia Nordwell

Renee Stevens

Julie Lynn Hayes

Wednesday Briefs - Catherine's Revenge - Chapter 8

After not having participated for two weeks it still seems like no time since I posted the last installment of Catherine's Revenge. Since then, there's been a lot of water under the bridge. It's been a very full two weeks. In another two weeks it will be Christmas WOOOOO.

Anyway, here is Catherine's Revenge 8. I hope you enjoy

There were some very interesting prompts this week and it was gutting that none of the pics fit with what I was writing this week, I would love this one to have applied.

OR THIS ONE  

But no, so instead I chose  "Damned if I know!"

Emma must have fallen asleep where she was sitting, because she woke suddenly to find herself lying across Tristan’s lap, her head pillowed comfortably on his thigh. Someone had wrapped her in a sleeping bag and blanket, and she was warm and contented.

The crack of a knot popping, as the fire settled, startled her. That must have been what woke her. In the eerie, flickering firelight, she raised her head, for a last glance around before settling again. Ash’s chair was empty.

Emma raised her head a little more, and looked around. There was no sign of her brother.

“What’s wrong?” Tristan asked, his voice sleepy. She’d thought he was asleep. Did ghosts sleep?

“Where’s Ash?”

“He may have needed to relieve himself.”

“Maybe. I should check.” Emma reluctantly sat up, shivering as the blanket slid from her shoulders.

Putting his hand on her shoulder, Tristan rose quickly. “Remain here, in the warmth of the fire. I will locate your brother.”

Emma covered his hand with hers and looked up into his eyes. “Thank you,” she said and Tristan gave her a shy smile, his eyelashes fluttering as he ducked his head. Emma thought that if he hadn’t been…whatever he was, he’d have blushed.

“It is my pleasure M’lady.” Tristan raised her hand briefly to his lips, before stepping away. With a last smile, he hurried to the door.

“What’s happening?” Adam asked sleepily, sitting up.

“Nothing. It’s okay. Go back to sleep.”

“Why are you up?” Adam sounded more awake. He looked around.

“Where are Tristan and Ash?”

“I don’t know where Ash is. Tristan went to look for him. He’s probably only gone to the loo.”

“Probably,” Adam echoed in a tone that sounded unconvinced.

Emma pulled the sleeping bag up to her chin and huddled against the sofa. The cold that began to seep into her had nothing to do with the temperature outside.

It seemed to Emma, that Tristan was gone a very long time. When he returned, he looked very grave.

“I have searched the house,” he said. “Ash is not here.”

“Not here? Are you sure?”

“I am very sure.”

“Well, where the hell would he have gone?” Adam asked, scrambling to his feet. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“I’m damned if I know. We must search. You make a better examination of the house, while I—”

“You know where he is,” Emma said, her heart fluttering wildly, almost choking out her words.

“The summerhouse.”

Emma and Tristan locked eyes, fear flashing in both.  Then Emma was flying. Throwing off her covers, she would have run as she was, if Tristan hadn’t stopped her and pointed out she wasn’t wearing shoes. With immense impatience, she pulled on her boots and grabbed a coat from a pile of clothes on a chair. It was only when she was doing it up, she realized it was Ash’s. Somehow, that made things a whole lot worse.

Adam followed them across the room, but Emma stopped him.

“You should wait here, in case he comes back.”

“But, I’m his father. I—”

“Yes, I know, but I don’t want to think of him coming back here and being alone. That might be the very thing Catherine wants – to lure us all away.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Adam admitted reluctantly. He pulled Emma into a brief, fierce hug. “Be careful.”

“I will. Tristan will take care of me.”

Grabbing Tristan’s hand, she ran.

Outside, the night was cold and very still, as if the world was holding its breath. It was the same deep hush that falls with snow, although there was none.

Without a word, Tristan and Emma started to run toward the lake, their feet leaving footprints on the dewy grass.

It was the time of day known as ‘the time between time’ – not quite day, but already leaving behind the night. With every step, the world lightened around them, and as visibility increased they were able to run faster and faster.

They burst out of the trees, onto the bank of the lake and froze.

The summerhouse was ablaze with lights. The sound of music and laughter carried to them through the still air.

“What the hell’s going on?” Emma demanded.

“I don’t know but it’s not likely to be good. Stay close.”

With more hesitant steps, they crunched across the frosted ground, drawing closer to the building, which appeared to be hosting a party.

As they drew closer, they could see the front doors stood open. A jumble of colour swirled and flashed within, eventually resolving into gorgeous ballgowns. The notes of what sounded like a live string band hung thick the air and brittle laughter tinkled like broken crystal.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Is it real? Is it a vision?”

“It might well be both.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look.” Tristan stalled any further questioning with a hand on her arm. He pointed through the doors and Emma caught a glimpse of blue jeans through the whiling satin.

“Ash.” Emma would have bolted, but Tristan dragged her back.

“Wait. We can’t just go rushing in there.”

“Why not?”

“Well….”

“To hell with this.” Emma wrenched her arm free and ran for the summerhouse.  Ignoring Tristan’s calls, she fled across the lawn and up the steps. No one paid her any attention as she pushed through the press of bodies, searching for her brother.

She didn’t stop to wonder why the huge chandelier hanging above her was unbroken, or why the mirrors were intact again. She didn’t worry that the dancers stopped dancing and drew back to the walls, leaving an open space at the centre. She didn’t notice that the dancers were thickest near the door, blocking her way back.

All Emma saw, was Ash.

 Now go check out the rest of this week's flashers.

Jon Keys
Lily Sawyer
J C Wallace
M A Church
Chris T Kat
Rob Colton
Lily Velden
A R Von
Grace Duncan
Renee Stevens
Andrew Gordon
Tali Spencer
Cia Nordwell
Elizabeth VaLey
Victoria Adams
Julie Lyn Hayes